A Last Request to Hikigaya Hachiman
by DarkGamer0
Summary: 10 years after graduation from Sobu High School, a broken and depressed Hikigaya Hachiman has distanced himself from his former 'friends'. But when an unexpected request from the person he cared about finds its way to him, it will bring about changes in his and everyone else's life in completely unexpected ways.
1. Prologue: Sobu High School reunion

**Prologue: Sobu High School Reunion**

 **April 2023, Sobu High School**

Hikigaya Hachiman stepped out of the taxi.

It had been 10 years since he last saw this building. In his mind, he tried to navigate through the various rooms the school had to offer. While his memory had not dulled, he still had difficulty imagining the exact paths. The first room that came to mind was the unmarked room that had housed the former Service Club. He wondered if the stickers were still there on the doorplate. Yui considered those to be like a badge of honour, a sign of how much they had worked for the school and its people. He mentally smirked at that. He didn't want to dive too much into nostalgia, so he moved on to class 2-F. The first place where he had made what he could genuinely call _friends_. Some of them not anymore, but times change and so do circumstances; he mused. He never met some of them after graduation and it was not for a lack of closeness; he simply felt no need to. He had his own life and they had theirs. People meet, they come together and they go their own way; such was life. Best not to dwell too much on people; they have a nasty habit of leaving you at bad times. _Not again_ , he spoke out aloud to no one in particular. _Best abandon this train of thought._ He decided to move ahead.

The reunion was in the auditorium, and Hachiman did not have particularly fond memories of the place. This one was apparently coordinated by Hayama and a few others with some agency he probably had in his back pocket, now that he was a multimillionaire. He hated the 'nice guy with good looks and a boatload of money' trope since he himself was nothing like that; this furthered his contempt for the man. He was jerked from this thought by the ringtone on his iPhone. He glanced at the screen to a familiar name and picked up the call.

"Yuigah-Yui."

"Yahallo, Hikki! Where are you? We've already started here."

"Yeah, sorry. I'm already in the school, so give me a minute."

"Come soon. We're all waiting."

He put the phone back in his pocket and walked on.

* * *

"Now, please enjoy yourself and welcome to the reunion." As Sagami exited the stage, he saw the big banner behind her that loudly proclaimed "Welcome! Sobu High School 55th batch reunion" and mentally made a note. _Sagami seems to have improved_ , he thought. _That was actually a pretty decent speech, all things considered. Had just the right amount of nostalgia and banal humor in it._

"My partner!"

Hachiman scowled at the voice he instantly recognized. Yoshiteru Zaimokuza was there, with a wary waiter standing behind him who quickly moved off. He looked like he had been thrown forward 10 years in time, if not for the beard that had nicely cropped up. If anything, it made him even more of an eyesore.

"Zaimokuza. How have you bee-" He choked out as he was crushed under the massive bear-hug that he was sure could kill an actual bear.

"Hachiman! It's been so long since we met."

"Y-Yeah." He took a cursory glance at Zaimokuza's jacket which had a weird logo embossed on it.

"You work at a game company?"

"Huh? No, no. I just write scenarios for their otome games. This jacket was more like a token of appreciation."

"And?"

"And, I write light novels occasionally."

The man did not look like he was putting enough work hours in the otaku industry. Well, some people were really suited to this after all.

"By the way, have you seen Yukinoshita-san?"

Hachiman visibly froze.

"I met Yuigah-er, Miyamura-san earlier and she didn't tell me anything either. I wanted to thank her too. Well, I'm sure Yukinonshita-san will turn up sooner or later."

"Y-Yeah."

"Well, see you later, Hachiman. It was nice seeing you. I have some yakisoba to attack." Zaimokuza moved out, probably to harass another waiter.

Hachiman let a genuine smile creep up to his lips.

"Nice seeing you too, Zaimokuza."

He moved around and saw what could only be a horrifying sight. There was someone who he recognized... and did not, too. He was lanky, clearly the result of an athletic body and almost as tall as Hayama, maybe even taller. The person turned around.

"Oh! If it isn't Hachiman!" Saika Totsuka's hand almost felt like a vice. The person before him looked like he ate Totsukas for breakfast. _Well, now I don't have to remind myself about his gender anymore. My innocent heart has been scarred for life. My chances of conversion to the dark side have been completely and utterly crushed_.

"Totsuka." was all he could manage in a squeaky voice.

"Well, seems like you haven't changed at all, Hachiman." _Talk about yourself. You look like a role model for teenage growth spurts._

"Look at you, you look like a completely different being now."

"Ah, this is partially the result of my training regimen. I hope to make it into the Japan Open someday."

 _Tennis, huh_. _Well, Totsuka already had plans for his life and seems well-set to achieve them_. Unlike a certain loner Hachiman knew.

"Well, good luck to you."

"Thanks. By the way, where are you working now?"

"Nowhere, unfortunately. I was fired from my last job." Of course, he had another venture he was working on, but he didn't see the need to reveal that to Totsuka.

"Oh, I'm sorry."

"Not your fault, anyway. Well, I still have to see Yui, so I'll meet you later."

"And say hi to Yukinoshita-san for me."

For the second time today, Hachiman froze. He turned around and saw Totsuka busy with his Tennis club friends. Hachiman moved on.

Then the rumors started.

* * *

An hour and a half after the party had started, the distinct lack of Yukinoshita Yukino's presence had been clearly noted. Considering she had graduated top of the batch, it was not unnatural. And people being people, clearly loved to speculate on things. Then it began.

First, it started off innocuously. Things like "Seems like Yukinoshita-san's not here." or "Anyone seen Yukinoshita-san?"

Then it grew worse. "Why would the Ice Queen mingle with commoners? She's royalty, after all." "Screw that bitch. Always looked down on us." "Maybe she's settled in a corner, crying over her cheating husband or something." "She's more likely to sue him to bankruptcy than cry over him." "Haha, true that."

The final nail in the coffin hit as he was moving around.

"Hey, my friend just saw her in the Diet office last year or so. Wonder who she's screwing now to get to the top."

Hachiman considered himself a fair him, and yet he knew it was going too far. A mix of tears and sadness welled up in him as he made a decision, something that would put the spotlight right back on him. He hated himself for this, but it was _Yukinoshita._ If it was for her, he could bear it, he _would_ bear it.

He walked towards the podium, where a person was holding a mike. Probably a technician. Hachiman quickly strode up the steps as he was accosted.

"Excuse me sir, you can't go-"

"Move out of the way. NOW. And give me the mike." Hachiman's voice had so much venom the guy backed off.

"Y-Yes, Sir." He managed to blurt out as the mike was roughly torn from his hands.

Hachiman went up to the centre and stood animatedly, his left hand balled up and clawing into his own palms. The pain helped in keeping him centred. This was all he had left, the pain from the various times he had suffered. Without it, he was nothing. He _had been_ nothing. At times, he had rued his past self for being so on edge, willing to lash out at anyone if they so much as poked a needle. He once believed he had stood back up from the quagmire life had thrown him into, but then life pushed him in a second time. And this time, he has no strength to pull himself up. He would forever be alone, if that was what it took. But he would never allow them to drag her though the mud.

He fiddled with the mike, seeing it was on. "Hey! Why isn't this thing on- Oh." If his previous antics had not grabbed their attention, the staccato burst of static from the mike certainly did.

"Ahem. Um, as some of you know, I am Hikigaya Hachiman, formerly of class 3-G. I couldn't help but notice the hot topic of today is Yukinoshita. So hopefully, I can help clear the vile garbage some of you idiots have filled your heads with in regards to her."

Hachiman hardened himself. Even if she was not here, he felt like he was shouldering her burden. He had to appear as the bad guy, which wouldn't work with the tears.

"So to help you brainless monkeys understand, I am going to keep this short and simple."

Hachiman looked down, lest he reveal his near-breakdown to the crowd. He took three deep breaths, cleared his throat and spoke to the pin-drop silent crowd again.

"Yukinoshita Yukino..."

His voice trailed off as he tried to compose himself.

He saw sudden shuffling in the crowd, as the ones who approached him were not the ones he wanted to see right now.

In the lead was Hayama Hayato, followed by Hayama Yumiko, Miyamura Yui and Tobe with Hina, whose joint surname Hachiman couldn't seem to recall at the moment.

"Back off, Hayama!" Hachiman's voice gave off an eerie mix of coldness and desperation, with an eye glare that could only be described as 'soul-piercing'. Hayato had only seen it once in his life, and he had regretted intervening back then. He certainly couldn't risk it now. In some ways, he was weaker now.

"Hikki..." was all Yui could muster in a low voice.

"Ah, so where was I..."

Hachiman took a deep breath. He wasn't sure if they realized that his legs were shaking.

"Yukinoshita Yukino... is dead."

* * *

A cold wind descended through. Which felt more like a blast. It felt like the former Ice Queen herself had descended from Heaven to bless this as her closed space. Back in the corner of the room, Hiratsuka Shizuka sighed as she drew another cigarette and put it to her lips. She knew her former student had a flair for the dramatic, but she never imagined that he would pull off something like this. Both of them were too old for her to do anything now, she mused. But it was clear that Hikigaya needed her help again. Probably not her help, but he needed something to anchor him down. Right now, he was drifting through life, eating hit after hit after hit, with no way or intention to counter.

Her time would come. Right now, she simply watched him as he walked off the stage and rebuffed any attempt to approach him from Yui. Hikigaya was gone. And just like that, he walked away from everything he had once held dear in high school. And Hiratsuka did nothing to stop him. Because she had already made up her mind. She had abandoned him once. She would not abandon him again. Not after he had come this far in life. Former may be, but he was her student.

And what teacher could call themselves a good one if they didn't help a student in need?

* * *

Hachiman lay down on the bed, thinking about the events of day. His only regret was not getting to see Hiratsuka-sensei; the woman clearly deserved more than a thank you for all the things she had done for him. Well, he could always call her; and after today's events, he had no doubt that he would be receiving a call from her anyway. _If_ she had been present.

Hachiman was jerked back as an email notification popped up. It looked like he had been called for another interview. Which made it 4 interviews for tomorrow. It was going to be a busy day, he thought as he came back to the dreaded realization he had denied himself for too long.

 _Yukinoshita Yukino, the love of his life, was dead, and there was not a damn thing in the whole world he could have done to save her._


	2. Chapter 1: A new responsibility

**Chapter 1: A new responsibility**

 **April 2023, Sobu High School**

Miyamura Yui watched as she let Hachiman go away from the school, and possibly, from her life too. She just needed a little more courage, a little more spring in her steps to reach for him, and maybe, _just maybe_ , he would stop, turn back and decide to stay. But she couldn't will herself. After what had happened, she just couldn't. And Hachiman _definitely_ wasn't the kind of guy who'd come back after that had happened. He was once again alone. That was what she hated. That after all these years, meeting so many people, having so many experiences together, he had decided to once again walk the path of the loner. That all of the time they had spent together was for naught. That it took an outsider to shake up the status quo. That maybe he would not have gone through such anguish if he had chosen her-.

"Yui?"

"Ah Yumiko, sorry. I just…"

"Leave him alone. He may have pretended to be one of us, but he never actually was one of us."

"But, he is hurting. I need to go to him. Tell him it's alright. Otherwise he'll just…"

"Listen Yui, as a friend, believe me when I tell you this. Choosing to give up on that man was the best decision you ever made in your life. Despite my bias against the both of them, I still believe in the truth of my statement."

"It's not like that. He's… misunderstood. He isn't a loner because he wants to be. He is one because we never opened up to him enough. We saw something different in him and ostracized him for that. Ever since that day with Hayama, Hikki bottled himself up again. We pretended by saying that he was crazy. In reality, we pushed him to the edge and he finally decided to push back. Even after that, Hikki never changed on the inside. He was still the same kind, smart young man I remember."

"Whatever you remember is in the past. This man is nothing but a shadow of that past. Best to leave him there and move on. Come on, we still have a few drinks to go through." Yumiko now forcefully pulled her friend back in.

Yui could just stare back into the area that was now devoid of life.

* * *

Back inside, Hayama Hayato was lost in thought when Totsuka approached him.

"Is he… really gone?"

"Yeah, Miyamura-san herself saw him leave. He's not coming back"

"I figured. But what was that about Yukinoshita-san being dead? Is that true?"

"Yeah. Yukinoshita Yukino died six months ago." Hayama heard himself harden as he said those words. "My father is still involved in the legal issues her death has left pending, trying to clean up after her. That woman was juggling so much work, she was nothing less than a monster." Hayama hadn't seen his father in three months. He wondered if his father would come home anytime soon.

"That is sad. I wish we had stayed in touch, I could have helped him."

"There is nothing that you or I could have done. He willingly separated himself from us, no matter what happened in the past. Plus, you were busy in your own tournaments, you'd have hardly gotten any time to go see him."

"That is true. But it still feels to me like we were the ones who abandoned him. Maybe he comes around. I want to play an honest match against him."

"You do that. Though I doubt he'll give us any opportunities for it to happen."

"Totsuka!" They heard one of his friends from the Tennis club call him out. "Want to take a commemorative picture with us?"

"Yeah, I'll join you in a minute." Totsuka turned back to leave. "Ah, can you get me his phone number or mail ID, Hayama-san? I want to talk to him sometime soon."

"Don't bother with him, Totsuka. He's a lost cause now." Hayama wished his words weren't so malicious, but after that day, a lot had changed for them. He wasn't sure anymore how or why he had come to admire Hikigaya Hachiman, but he had. Maybe because as a loner, he was freer to do whatever he wanted, unlike Hayama whose social cliques primarily dictated his actions. Maybe because under the aloof demeanor was one of the sharpest minds Hayama had ever known. Or maybe because he was the one who had broken through Yukinoshita Yukino's facade, when Hayama had tried for years and failed miserably.

Maybe because deep down, Hayama Hayato knew he would never be as _good_ as Hikigaya Hachiman. And it tore him on the inside, knowing that the man he admired was not worth his admiration anymore. That when the man had needed help, Hayama had chosen the easy way out to spare himself the pain. That hate had become his justification as a win against a broken man.

"I still consider him a friend, Hayama-san. Maybe you should too." Totsuka walked off

"Yeah, like that'll happen in a 100 years." Hayama muttered under his breath.

* * *

Still sipping a coffee in his office, Hayama Sugito looked at the new bundle of papers dumped by his secretary and sighed. He had spent six months of his life sorting through the legalese Yukino's death had left behind. Mrs. Yukinoshita had made it clear that only he was to handle her case. I can trust only you with this, she had said. Probably to keep the matter contained in case something improper ever came up. With some great difficulty he had arranged for 2 of his friends to help out in bits and pieces. The only redeeming fact here was that the documents were all precise and properly filed; anything less and he would have been chasing his own tail in circles for years. Yukino, or at least whoever she had probably hired was _damn_ good at their job. He put down the cup of coffee and picked up the top file from the bundle. A quick glance made his face harden. This was not Yukino's work.

The other kid had clearly been busy. Another competitor to their battery business had quietly folded and their assets quickly seized in a handiwork he could only marvel at. A few rumors here and there, a few drunk conversations, a visit to some unsavory places had all but guaranteed results. The majority of the opposition was silenced. The rest of the board saw reason and quickly gave in. The scary part about Yukinoshita Haruno was that she wielded _humans_ as a weapon. And despite being a master at it, she had no moral qualms doing it. That woman could make the devil dance to her tunes and not bat an eyelid. He shuddered at the thought.

Sugito gathered the files and went to the locker room to store it. He opened it and suddenly a manila envelope fell out. _Odd_ , he thought. _I never remembered putting this in._ What he saw written on the envelope surprised him. It read:

To, Hikigaya Hachiman

In the event of my death

 _Why did Haruno of all people need to write that man such a weird letter?_ Whatever it was, he was certain of one thing: He wanted to stay as far from it as possible. He returned the envelope to its place when he saw something written on the bottom:

From, Yukinoshita Yukino

This changed things. Whatever Yukino had in this envelope, he was sure it should reach Hikigaya as soon as possible. _And keep it as far away from Haruno as possible,_ he mused. It was then he heard his secretary call out "Haruno-san coming in!" as the doors to his office opened. _Speak of the devil._

"Hello, Sugito-san." He heard it in her classic sing-song voice. And there she was in all her glory. Today she had a green blouse on with a white cardigan on top of it and a long white skirt that flowed freely and seemed to accentuate her height. She was dressed quite modestly today, and he had seen Haruno dress far worse. Even as a married man for nearly 30 years, Sugito would be lying if he did not admit to himself that seeing her every now and then made his heart skip a beat. He cleared his throat.

"Uhmm-mm. So, what can I do for you today?"

"Getting straight to the point? I was under the impression we could have some fun first."

"Unfortunately, I do not mix business with pleasure. So again, what can I do for you today?"

"Heeeh- what a meanie." She made a fake pout as Sugito sat there with a stony face.

"Anyway, did you see my recent exploits? You see, I had a bet with Mika-chan that I could fold them in 20 days. And I won. Now I get to see her ask out Takashi-san on a date. She's had a crush on him for so long."

"Wait, isn't he married? And knowing you, why didn't she see this as foolish idea?"

"I know right! But she's one of my newer friends, so she fell for it. Don't you worry about it."

 _Now_ Sugito was actually worried. Not only because she had used the pretext of a bet to destroy a company, she had used it as leverage to get involved in a relationship she frankly had no right to. And Haruno sticking her hands out meant that the relationship was as good as dead. Well, one had survived; and even that one had ended, though for entirely different reasons. It was like Haruno had changed ever since Yukino died, ever so subtly. It was as if she had lost her restraints and become a force of nature, wrecking nearly everything she got her hands on. Her voice broke him out of his spell.

"By the way, what is that envelope you're hiding?"

"Huh?" was all he could muster before Haruno reached out and grabbed it from his hands before he could protest.

"Ooh, a secret letter from Yukino-chan to Hachiman hidden in your office? How interesting. Maybe we should open it."

"Uhm, I don't think it's such a good idea…" His voice trailed off as Haruno opened the envelope and took out a letter.

She took a quick glance at the contents and nodded to herself before putting the letter back in. She rifled through the rest of the envelope before quickly closing the envelope.

"I see, I see. This sounds very interesting. Today keeps getting better and better."

"There is something known as privacy, Haruno-san. Maybe you should learn to respect it."

"Eeh, what's the big deal anyway? They are my family, after all. I like keeping track of them. Or do you mean to say you have a problem, Sugito-san?" The thinly veiled threat in there hadn't passed by Sugito's notice.

"Uhm, no. Just a thought." Best not to piss off a force of nature.

"Good." The pep in her voice had come back. "Then let's get going. You get to take a beautiful girl like me out on a date after all."

"Go on a date where?" Denying her wasn't even an option.

"First, we need to visit this wonderful French restaurant that opened up last week. I've heard their cuisine is one to die for." Inwardly, he gulped. "Then we go visit a certain woman. I have some questions for her only she can answer. And now I regret not keeping an eye on her. Eh, what's done is done. And lastly…"

"Lastly?" Sugito saw exactly where this was going. And he did not like it. Haruno knew _exactly_ how to push his buttons.

"100 points, Sugito-san. We are going to visit Hikigaya Hachiman, the man you hate the most."

And for once in her 29-year long life, Sugito thought, Yukinoshita Haruno had spoken the absolute truth.

* * *

Hachiman cursed his luck. The last interview had also been a bust. HR had a tendency of not taking you seriously when all your resume contained was withdrawal from one company to another. Especially in a workaholic culture like Japan, where work was king and loyalty to one's company was paramount. No one would touch a liability like him with a ten-foot bargepole. He walked on, passing by a garden as a football hit him in the forearm. "Ow!" He yelped, as a middle-schooler came running towards him.

"Sorry for the ball, uncle."

"Oi! Don't play the damn game if you don't know how to control the ball, you third-rate Ronaldos!"

The kid showed him the finger as he ran off with the ball before he could react.

"Why, you…" was all he said before the kid's loudly intoned "Idiot!" rang out.

"Tch! Damn kids." Hachiman walked on as he headed home. The walk was long, but he didn't particularly feel the need for the comfort of a taxi. Plus, he was quickly burning through his savings anyway. This was objectively better. He entered his apartment complex and saw a sight he had neither expected he would nor he had wanted to.

Two of the most hated people in his life had ostensibly made way to his new home and were waiting for him, like sharks searching for prey whose blood they had just smelled. Hachiman barely had time to formulate a response strategy before the "Ah, Hachiman!" rang out. "It's been a while, hasn't it?"

"Yes, it has, Haruno-san. Same goes for you, Hayama-san. I never expected you of all people to be here."

"Ah, what can I say. Work takes me to bizarre locations sometimes. Today is no exception." That man never missed an occasion to throw in a snide remark.

On any other day, he was sure he would've had the perfect comeback. But not today. He was tired like hell and just wanted to sleep.

"Well, come on up. I hope you've had dinner, because I've had mine and I sure as hell don't feel the need to feed you."

"No need to worry, we already had ours at a nice little French place. They serve the best _escargots de Bourgogne_ over there." The mention of dinner had Hayama-san's face redden.

Maybe there was an interesting story here. Time to press the attack.

He unlocked the door and let them in as they settled around the small kotatsu in his living room.

"Well? Anything interesting happen?"

"You just wouldn't believe it if I told you. Hayama-san tried to order for us and his French pronunciation was so off the mark the waitress could barely suppress a laugh. I reminded him that this was Japan and that he could order in Japanese. You should have seen his face then! The man is so out of touch with dating culture." Well, not like he didn't feel a twinge of sympathy for the man. Haruno-san had a nasty habit of doing that to people.

"If you've come to talk about dating culture, you've come to the wrong guy." Hachiman said matter-of-factly. "Now tell me the real reason why you're here."

"Heeh, this is why I hate you men. All business-like. I mean, why not have some while fun while we still can? Do you know how much your Nee-san missed you all this time?" She made the sort of puppy eyes that Hachiman wished he could put needles through. "Anyway, the person is making some preparations and will take a while."

"Who else is coming?" He was partially sure he could handle Haruno alone. But more people meant more chaos. And Hachiman _hated_ chaos.

"You'll see when you meet her. Consider it a present. Speaking of…" They heard the doorbell to his room.

"Uh, I'll go get it." And Hayama-san dashed off to the door.

"Nee, Hikki. Do you wanna? I saw this book yesterday that had this detailed description amazing technique…" Hachiman saw Haruno practically throw herself at him.

"Just stop, please. You're creeping me out even more than usual." That surprisingly shut her up.

What Hachiman saw accompanying Hayama-san was an unexpected visitor. Or rather, visitors.

She was a woman who he felt he knew, but just couldn't place the name to a face. His habit had started up acting even more now. Accompanying her was a girl, probably a grade schooler, who he felt he had seen before. Both of them looked at him with an expression that spoke of curiosity and disdain. Well, not like he wasn't used to that in the 27 years of his life. But he had to wonder what they were doing here. This was turning out to be an unexpectedly heavy day.

"Hachiman, you may remember her as the caretaker of the orphanage Yukino-chan used to assist. This is Aiura Minori -san."

"Domo." The bow felt forced to him, so he replied in kind.

"Domo."

"And this is Airi-chan." Haruno motioned to the girl and she stepped forward. She didn't look particularly scared; considering the company she was in, she very well should be.

"Hajimemashite." The girl was polite enough for him to give her a curt nod.

"Well, I received a call while you were out. Looks like I'll be sitting this one out. Something more interesting has come up and I intend to follow through. Don't worry, they can take over from here. I'll be receiving a report from them anyway."

"What else deserves your attention more than what's happening here?"

"Huh, Didn't I tell you? I have a very important marriage to wreck." And she left the room.

The sheer nonchalance of her statement baffled him. Hachiman knew better than most people the kind of person Haruno was, but at times she genuinely put the fear of her back in him. That woman was absurdity made flesh. He turned to see Hayama-san cough.

"Uh, Hikigaya-san?"

"Sorry. What were we talking about?"

"This." The woman handed him a manila envelope whose cover sent a chill up his spine. That Yukino had left him something was not surprising, but the timing seemed weird. Could Haruno be playing another game here? It seemed doubtful with the kid here, but with Haruno involved, better to be safe than sorry were the operative conditions.

"What am I looking at?"

"Just… go through it please, Hikigaya-san." Irritation had crept up in the woman's voice.

"Fine."

He took out what seemed like a handwritten letter, and judging from the handwriting, it clearly seemed to be Yukino's. That meant the envelope was legit, and Haruno had merely stumbled upon it.

He took a cursory glance at its contents and his face started widening as he realized what it meant.

"Is this… really true?" His voice had started quivering, and he did not care what they thought of him. "This… really is her last wish?"

"Yes, Hikigaya-san." Hayama-san gravely exclaimed as he rifled through the rest of the documents.

He looked up to their faces. He was looking for comfort, for warmth, and he would get none. It was Aiura-san who broke the silence.

"Hikigaya-san, Yukino-chan's last wish for you was to adopt Airi-chan."

* * *

 **A/N: Hello everyone. This is my first fanfiction here and finally I am writing it! This is a story idea that had been in my mind for a while and now that I got some free time I am putting it on paper (metaphorically, at least.). I do not expect a lot of OC's in this one; though a few were unavoidable. As a first release, I decided to make it a double-chapter. Updates will be once or twice weekly, anywhere between 25 and 30 chapters at the end, with the epilogue already written. Please leave any constructive feedback you have so that my story and me as a writer can improve. Thank you for reading!**


	3. Chapter 2: A New Beginning

**Chapter 2: A New Beginning**

 **April 2023, Hikigaya Hachiman's apartment**

The words struck him hard. Hachiman already knew this, but hearing the words gave him pause. His brain froze, and he couldn't think of anything to say back. He tried to think of why Yukino would do something like this, but logic and reason escaped his mind. It was like a cruel twist of fate that could end up ruining two lives while providing God and one other person he knew the entertainment of their lives. Not to mention he had his own baggage and he _definitely_ could not let anyone else into his life, let alone care for them. He felt bile rise up in his throat.

"But doing this was certainly irresponsible of her. How does she expect a lone male to take care of this girl?" Aiura-san seemed to be in a state of worry and anger; she had no hesitation in showing it.

"Well, that does seem to be the case; however, we know Yukino-san wasn't exactly in the best state of mind during the last days of her life. Maybe we can attribute it to that and leave the current situation as it is. No one of us needs more work on their plate." Sugito piped up, seemingly wanting to be helpful.

"I sincerely doubt that. I admit that wasn't a good time for her, but she wasn't the kind of person to make a decision completely on impulse. She must've had her reasons, something which we've overlooked." Seeing Aiura-san defend her did not surprise him; after all, Yukino had become the apple of her eye ever since she came back from the States 3 years ago.

"So, what do you have to say, Hikigaya-san?" Sugito looked at him with tired eyes that showed he had lost interest in this now that the shock of the situation had been dealt with.

"Do I look like I have any choice?"

"We always have a choice, Hikigaya-san."

"I don't feel like I do. This is her dying wish, and I can't really find myself ignoring anyone's wish, let alone _hers._ "

"Even if it leads to a child's life being ruined?"

"That has not been confirmed yet. I know Yukino wouldn't have done this if she wasn't sure enough that I could do it. I don't trust my own judgement, but I know I can say unequivocally that I trust hers." More than that, Hachiman knew that with Haruno now involved; declining wasn't even an option. The situation with them together would be more fun for her than one with them apart. For all he knew, Haruno could easily put Airi back on the street if it would mean getting him to accept.

"Trying to sound cool doesn't make you a hero, Hikigaya-san."

"Neither does sending condescending remarks my way solve anything, Hayama-san. If anything, you're delaying the problem and wasting everyone's time." Sugito visibly stiffened. It was no secret that he disliked Hikigaya Hachiman, but to get told off by _him_ of all people made his blood boil.

"And what would you know of anyone's problems, Hikigaya-san? Easy for you to say sitting on the high horse in your home when working people like me have to deal with the consequences of your actions. You've been the root of many problems not only for me but my family and most of all my poor Hayato. You got to ride off into the sunset while we were left to look down at the ground and pick up the pieces of the things you destroyed in the process." Sugito's tone had changed from pure anger to a more tired resignation and acceptance with a long sigh that marked the end.

"I believe we were over this, Hayama-san." Hachiman's voice had now taken his classic monotone form.

"Now, now. This is not a time to be fighting among ourselves. We have a job to do." Aiura-san helpfully brought the conversation back on track.

"Right. In short, I see no particular reason to decline on my side if it was Yukino's request for me. While I agree that I am probably the worst choice to take care of a child, I did use to look after Komachi all the time while we were younger. And I can proudly say that she turned out well." _It was actually the opposite,_ Hachiman thought. _Without Komachi to hear me out and provide me with life tips, I would have driven myself insane with the sort of edgy thoughts I had in high school._

"Well, forgive me if I don't take your word for it, Hikigaya-san. While I know Yukino-chan trusts you a lot and wouldn't make mistakes in judging someone's character considering how close you two were; I simply don't know you enough to trust you with a young girl's life."

"Tell me about it. I know this guy all too well and even I don't trust him with her."

"Huh, isn't that a fact we don't know?" Hachiman deadpanned.

"Enough. While I can see you two have your fair share of problems, this is not the time or place to be bringing them up. I see you two going at it once more and I swear to God I'll put you two in your place, all else be damned. Do I make myself clear?" Behind her, Hachiman could clearly see Airi-chan giggling. Seeing two grown-up men get told off like this was definitely a visual treat for an outsider. Now Hachiman felt bad for Haruno, who got to miss out on this. It helped that without her here, things had gone a bit more smoothly. He'd expected him and Sugito-san to be at each other's throats by the time Haruno was done. Maybe that was why she had left, wanting to keep things civil here while she wreaked havoc somewhere else. Once again, Hachiman wondered about whether Yukinoshita Haruno was secretly an Esper or alien in disguise.

"Yes, ma'am." Sugito quickly saw reason.

"I understand." Hachiman gave a quick nod.

"Good. Then I would like to ask Airi-chan as to what she thinks." Every eye turned towards the little girl huddled behind her temporary guardian. She still looked unsure as Aiura-san gently guided her to sit besides her. Hachiman took a good look at her.

Airi-chan looked almost like Yukino in her grade-school photos; it was like he was looking at a reincarnation. Hachiman blinked when he realized he hadn't noticed it sooner. The primary differences quickly became clear, the eyes being a fiery green instead of Yukino's calm blue. The hair length was also different, shoulder-length with it being kept loose instead of the twin ribbons he had come to love. Her bangs barely reached the middle of her forehead, possibly due to the headband. Overall, while Yukino had always been a striking beauty (god bless her), Airi was more subdued; though Hachiman could appreciate her in his own way. She was still fidgeting when Sugito went up close to her. "Don't worry, you can speak the truth. No one will say anything to you." Airi hesitated again before finally speaking.

"I don't like him. His eyes especially, they look like rotten fish. And his personality is the worst." _Oi,oi, who do you think you're…_ Hachiman minced thoughts as he remembered the time in high school when Yukinoshita Yukino's exact words had rung out in the then derelict Service Club room. The banter that followed was the best Hachiman had had in years; he prided himself on having delivered a satisfactory argument. And now, this young child reminded him of her. Maybe that was why Yukino had chosen this girl; knowing how similar they were; though Airi notably lacked the ice-cold demeanor and seemed to be a lot more sociable.

"But, if Mama says I should live with him, then I trust him." The words hit him like a truck. He hadn't expected her to call Yukino Mama, let alone place blind faith on a now dead woman and agree to go live with a strange man. He wondered what exactly had transpired between the two of them for it to go this smoothly. Despite anyone saying otherwise, Hachiman knew that Yukino was still Yukino; having her open up to someone to this extent was surprising, and with a young girl at that. He vaguely remembered Yukino telling him about a girl she come to take an interest in at the orphanage, the one she had been personally looking after for 3 years. If this was the one, all the more reason for him to take care of her.

"Airi-chan, why do you call her Mama?"

"Mama herself told me to. She said even if I thought I had no mother to look after me, she always would. That I could think of her as my own mother. And that she would never abandon me. Then why did she…?" Airi now had tears in her eyes.

"Some things can't be helped, Airi-chan. But we are here now, aren't we? We will help you out, no matter what." Aiura-san soothingly reassured the child.

"Considering the fact that the two of you have no objections and the present extraordinary circumstances; I am inclined to allow this despite my reservations. I strongly believe children should grow up in a more homely environment that what any orphanage, including mine, can provide. Plus, I owe Yukino-chan for buying my orphanage through her trust when she did, otherwise these kids would have out on the road, considering our previous donor had no moral qualms abandoning us. The paperwork in the envelope is impeccably done, and we can fast-track some of the process here with Hayama-san's help and Haruno-san's connections."

"It's not that easy." Hachiman countered. "The biggest problem for me is money; I barely have enough to support myself, let alone her own expenses including school. I still haven't found a proper job; and I don't really want to touch Yukino's accounts without having to ask her parents first."

"On my end, I need three days at the minimum to complete the formalities; she can unofficially start living with you from then on. Hikigaya-san, I expect you to get your act together till then. Do whatever it takes to get it done, I don't care. She will be your problem now. I want you to be fully ready and in a positive state of mind when you come on Sunday. You will be a responsible adult with a child under your care, so start acting like it. Do you understand?"

"I do."

"Good. Then we'll be taking your leave now." Aiura-san turned as they opened the door and stepped outside. "Do give some thought on why I said what I did, Hikigaya-san. Yukino-chan trusted you for a reason, so give me a reason to believe that."

"I will." He saw Hayama-san turn and face him next.

"Hikigaya-san, despite what you may think, I only want what's best for that girl. So, I hope that maybe you can be a good influence on her, just like Yukino-san was."

"I thank you for your words." Hachiman was surprised at his own genuine response.

"I'll keep in touch, for more reasons than one."

"I believe you will." Hachiman said as he saw Hayama-san turn and disappear down the steps.

Hachiman closed the door. _Today had certainly been a long night._ The very first thing that came to his mind was that he had a few calls to make.

* * *

"Oh! Did the sun rise from the west today, Onii-chan? Or maybe, you forget that you're a loner for whom relations are a burden? See, your precious little sister has to make so many concessions for you. Ah, that actually scored pretty high in my book."

"Shut up. The one time I call you out of the ordinary, you end up making fun of me." Despite my sister having outgrown her cuteness, she still retained her nastiness even after getting married. That was one of the most boring events of my life that I had to attend, and I had sat through a whole meeting of Isshiki Iroha and another guy spouting nonsense.

"Komachi just worries about her onii-chan you know?"

"Yes, yes, spare me your sweet lies before I end up choking on them."

"See? I can't even show some concern for you before you end up throwing it in the dustbin." _Is your concern like the rotten leftovers from the night?_ Hachiman could mentally imagine her making a pout on the other end of the phone.

"Fine, I lose. There's no point in continuing this when I have more important things to discuss."

Hachiman tersely explained to her the events of the day as Komachi hummed every once in a while, in approval.

"I see. So, when is Airi-chan coming over to live with you?"

"Sunday at the earliest."

"Then it's decided. I'll be coming over to live with you on Saturday." _When WAS this decided? No one told me about it._

"Will Satoru-san be fine?"

"Don't worry about him Onii-chan. He'll be out on a business trip to Hokkaido from Sunday night for a week. I'm sure he can manage 1 day without me. Right, Satoru-san?"

Hachiman heard footsteps on the other end as the receiver went live again.

"Hello, Hikigaya-san." Satoru's bland voice came out. _Well, compared to Komachi, anything would be bland._

"How many times do I tell you, Nii-san is fine. Hearing you call me by my father's name when you two were dating makes it sound creepy.

"Ah, sorry, Nii-san. I just forget." _This man might just be a bigger airhead than Komachi_.

"So, Komachi says you're out on a business trip for a week."

"Yeah, so if she wants to come over there, it's fine by me. Better for her than being bored at home while alone."

"I better not hear about you using this as an opportunity. Clear?" Hachiman spoke in a menacing tone.

"Y-Yes, Nii-san. It's all old men at our o-office. W-we don't even have any w-women there. Believe me." Satoru stammered. Hachiman loved putting the fear of an overprotective brother in him occasionally.

"Good. Now give her the phone back." Soon Komachi's voice could be heard on the other end.

"Why do you do this to him? You know Satoru-san's not like that."

"But God Komachi, he's always so uptight. Would it behoove him to calm down and show some spine? I can't have my sister around such a weak-willed specimen." Hachiman faked out a voice in mock concern.

"Whatever."

"But really Komachi, will you be alright? I mean, with you being pregnant and all…"

"I said I'm fine. Besides, it's only my second month now. It'll be a long while before I need help from either of you. The train from Ibaraki to Chiba is only three hours you know."

"Yeah, yeah, I know. I'll text you the address." Considering she had seen this apartment only once, while helping him move; he highly doubted that she would remember.

"Then see you there, Onii-chan." Komachi cut the phone.

"See you soon."

Inwardly, Hachiman was glad that Komachi was one of the few constants in his life, no matter where he ended up. Komachi was the one that had never given up on him, keeping a corner for him whenever he needed help. He now took the time to appreciate how truly blessed he was to have such a cute and reliable sister. Certainly, it sometimes surprised him that his family genepool had given rise to someone like _him,_ when it clearly had the materials for a physically superior product like Komachi.

After making two more phone calls, Hikigaya Hachiman went to sleep. After all, tomorrow was going to another long day. He had three meetings to attend.

* * *

 **Next day**

 **Chiba, near the Tokyo Bay**

They were out sitting in an open-roof bar, Hiratsuka Shizuka twirling the wine in her glass while puffing on her cigarette. Hachiman took the time to admire the person before him, after not having seen her since the funeral. To him, Hiratsuka-sensei still looked beautiful, but time had run its course on her. She had lost her youthful appearance in for a more mature look, a few wrinkles here and there. She had the look of a fine wine that had aged well with time. Maybe his perspective had shifted now that he was older, but he had never really been into older women. Despite that, now that he looked at her, it reminded him of her younger counterpart…

"Oi, Hikigaya, what's with you today?"

"Uh, nothing, Sensei." His mind had wandered off into uncharted territory, and he was for once glad it was back.

"So, talk. You said you wanted to talk to me about something."

"Uh, it's not what you think. I've already moved on from the incident at the reunion."

"I haven't. That was, simply put, one of the dumbest moves I've seen you pull. And believe me, I have seen you do a lot of dumb stuff. Including the incidents with Hayama."

"Which one?"

"Does it matter? I mean, what did you expect?"

"I know. But I couldn't stand by and just listen to them spouting all that crap."

"Hikigaya, do you really think you've accomplished anything? All you've done is add more fuel to the fire. Pretty soon you can expect this story to blow out of proportion. Do you really want them to drag her name through the mud, again, after all that's happened?"

"N-No." Hachiman's voice was so meek it surprised her. She hadn't expected him to go down in one gut punch, despite having a full round left.

"Then, as long as you understand." Was all she could say.

"Sensei, I'm actually here to talk about something else."

"About what?"

Hachiman narrated to her the events that transpired yesterday.

"Hmm, so that's what it is. And what do you think can I do?"

"I need your advice."

"If I may, you've already decided to go through with it because Yukinoshita was the one who wrote the letter. I want you to look at it another way. Consider for a second why she wrote that letter. She knew she was dying and that she was only companion after high school. She probably envisioned that you would lock yourself away and likely spend your life like that again. If anything, consider this an out. In fact, this is the perfect opportunity: To start trusting people again. Maybe you can help her like the way I did for you."

"Trust and help. That's rich coming from you, Sensei."

"HUH?" Hiratsuka's eyes widened in shock. "What does that mean, Hikigaya-kun? In all my time I've known you, I've only ever wished well for you."

"Really?" Hachiman almost spat. "That's what you call 'wishing well'? From my perspective, you almost ruined my high school life, Sensei. You taught me how to run, and then cut off my legs from under me. You teach me how to make friends, and then you alienate me from everyone. You show me a place where I could become better, and then slam its doors in my face. You told me that I belong, that even I could be of help to people; then you go back and say that involving me was a stupid idea. You and everyone else at Sobu kept me around till I was useful, then you conveniently tossed me away. Thank god for Yukino, otherwise I never would've gotten over it. So yeah, forgive me if I think trust is an abstract concept I find no solace in."

"There's a lot more going on than you think you know, Hikigaya-kun. I had my own set of circumstances, and I simply choose to make the best of them. Even if it meant losing you in the process."

"That sounds awfully self-gratifying."

"Hikigaya, I- goddamnit, what will it take? What will it take for you to understand that not everyone in the world is out to get you? For you to understand that there are people who care for you. Some still do. That what I did was for you. Do I wish things hadn't turned out that way? Definitely. Do I think I made the best decision at the time? Probably. Do I regret my role in it? Definitely. Do I wish I should've done things differently? Probably not. And there you go. Do I regret the fact that your punishment for such a small mistake turned out to be this big? A resounding YES. So don't you, of all people, dare tell me that it was for self-gratification; because it absolutely was not." Hachiman kept quiet through all this, occasionally paying mind to the customers around them.

"The fact is Hikigaya, you need to change. Let people in. Let them show you that they care. That they get hurt when they see you scrape yourself. That they'll slap you when you do something stupid. And most importantly, that they'll be proud of you when you accomplish something in life. And it still hurts me, knowing how you've distanced yourself from them. Yukino died, still clutching onto the hope that you could find it in yourself to forgive and move on. Believing that you could be better. If nothing else, do it for her." Hiratsuka picked up her glass and emptied it in one gulp. "And remember, despite what you may think, I still consider you my favorite student. I thought I had made that perfectly clear during graduation. So yes, I do care." Saying this Hiratsuka left as he saw her now old Aston Vantage sputter to life and take her away from the bar.

Hachiman pondered about Hiratsuka-sensei's choice of words. It was true that she did care, otherwise she wouldn't have launched a tirade in response. Hachiman had never thought there was more to the story, and this raised some interesting, if ultimately pointless questions.

The more Hachiman thought about it, the more he came back to the same word. _CHANGE._ And he agreed. Even till now, he had never really made an effort to change. Hachiman had come to hate stagnant situations, preserving the status quo because it was simply more comfortable to be in. Because by definition, change was something new, something unexpected, and a source of misery. He had wanted something genuine, all those years ago in the club room when he had opened up his heart to the two girls he would come to treasure. And yet, when that heart led to something new, he had sealed it, wishing to actively avoid changing the status quo. Wanting to preserve the limited time they had in the Service Club. That when he was alienated, he retreated into his shell like in middle school and given up on changing that status quo instead of actively going around and mending the broken bridges.

So now, Hikigaya Hachiman decided, he would change. For all the people who still believed in him. For Miyamura Yui, the woman he came to treasure as a friend, even after all that had transpired between them. For Hiratsuka-sensei, the teacher who made him who he is and was always quick on the advice. For Komachi, who never stopped supporting him through everything. For Airi-chan, who would need a proper role model to help her grow into a wonderful person. For Yukinoshita Yukino, the woman who he had pledged his heart to and who had shown him true human beauty.

But most of all, Hikigaya Hachiman decided he would change for himself.

Satisfied with his decision, he made a phone call.

* * *

Miyamura Yui was excited. The fact that Hikki wanted to speak to her on his own terms came as a shock. She imagined every little thing, from the way he would enter with his droopy shoulders, the way his eyes would look at her, absorbing every piece of information it could. The way he would lace his statements with sarcasm or facts that would bounce over her head. The way she would laugh over it and pretend to not understand, letting him berate her for being stupid. But no way in hell had she imagined this.

Hikigaya Hachiman was _smiling._

Hikigaya Hachiman was actively smiling.

She did not know what it was that made him smile, but she hoped that it would stay on for eternity. On first glance, she should've been surprised by the fact that he had actively returned her embrace, instead of standing there like a wooden log like he always used to. Then when he had stumbled on her surname (It seemed Hikki was still bad with names), he had agreed to called her by her given name instead of insisting on the family name like he had during the funeral. They had come to a famous restaurant chain known for its katsura udon, and now she could see why he had chosen this place.

"Thanks for coming on such short notice, Yui."

"Ah, I was actually in the area anyway, so I decided to drop by. I asked the manager for a short leave and he agreed."

"Wait, isn't your husband the owner of the supermarket? And you the co-owner?"

"Yeah, but investment-wise, it's technically his. I'm a co-signor only because we're married. So, I still pretend to be an employee to learn about the trade. Once I am confident of my abilities, I'll think about taking up a higher position."

"Nice for you."

"What about you, Hikki? Have you decided about where to work?"

"Not yet. Though I am still earning enough from my royalties that I can mooch off them for a while. But it'll be difficult when Airi-chan comes in with that money alone. Part-time job or not; I don't think I'll have enough money to get her through university."

"So that's why you've decided to meet them."

"Yeah. Though I imagine that conversation will not go over well."

"Give it time. I feel like they'll come around."

"I sure hope so. Wish I had your sense of optimism."

"So, was this all that you wanted to tell me?"

"No, there is actually something I want do for me. Because only you can do it."

"Huh? What is it?" Yui never imagined him saying that of all things. Saying she could be useful to him. It made her _happy._ After all, wanting to be relied on was a basic human trait. Even Yui was not alien to that concept. She remembered her last conversation with Yukinon, how she had wanted her to keep an eye on Hikki and have him rely on her, since they were a group. She mentally prepared herself as a wide grin came up on his face, which looked very creepy. When she heard the exact words, her mouth almost fell open.

"Yui, I want us to re-establish the Service Club."

* * *

 **A/N: And that's a wrap for this chapter. Some positive development in the story finally, but that doesn't mean it's all going to be well, is it? After all, to pluck the rose, you need to bear the thorns too. Hopefully, this gives you a small hint into what happened in the past that took 8man where he is now. So, next chapter. An Interlude! This will be set in their third year and delve into Service Club activities and such; while hopefully providing more insight into what exactly happened during that time. The plan is to have the interludes be set in the past and explain certain events in the context of the present; the main chapters stick to the present and tell a coherent (and hopefully good) story. So, for people asking for more 8man-yuki plot, do not expect it anytime soon. Sorry, but it is what it is. The point of this story is to have 8man move forward and develop as a character on his own rather than have someone stick with him out of romantic interest like many others have done (some very good ones), and offing yuki offscreen was the best way to do it. Also, thank you to everyone who took the time to read this story and put up positive words of encouragement. I hope to continue delivering a story worthy of expectations. I very likely won't reply to any reviews except in very specific circumstances. Finally, a shout out to the various other Oregairu fanfics on here, that inspired me to write my own. You guys are awesome. And that's it from my side. See you soon!**


	4. Interlude 1

**Interlude 1: A request to the Service Club**

 **May 2013, Sobu High School**

Hikigaya Hachiman groaned. The alarm on his iPhone blared incessantly as he tried to distract himself from the PreCure binge he had gone through late in the night. Downstairs, he could hear shuffling, which meant Komachi was being Komachi as usual. He headed down and saw her setting their table for breakfast.

"Oh, good morning, Onii-chan."

"Morning. You seem awfully lively today."

"Yeah, Isshiki-senpai has this new idea for an event that she wants to tell me, and she promised me I could help."

"Huh? Pretty sure she's just exploiting you for manual labor. I'll have a few words with her later." Manipulating him was fine, but he absolutely wouldn't allow anyone to cross his beloved little sister.

"It's okay, Onii-chan. I volunteered for it. Expect her in the clubroom today." He scowled. Hachiman wasn't sure if Iroha spent her time in the student council room or the Service Club room. Having Isshiki Iroha around was like an annoying housefly. Don't want it buzzing around you, can't kill it either. Hachiman regretted his past self for making such a stupid decision as making her president.

They were on their way to school, Hachiman furiously pedaling and Komachi waving around at people she knew. This was his new routine now, and it had become some of his only alone-time with his sister.

"By the way, you haven't joined a club yet. Decided on anything?"

"Not yet. Should I join the Service Club then, Onii-chan? Helping out students in need sounds fun."

"Yeah, if you consider things like running around for idiotic events conceived by a junior who got her position through ill-gotten means as 'helping'." Komachi did not need to know anything more, like his involvement in getting her there. Plus, the overload of sugar and salt in the same room would overload his senses.

"That's rude, you know! Isshiki-senpai is the nicest person I know. She always helps us first-years out. We look up to her."

"Save me your fake praise for that foxy woman. Anyway, we've reached school now; so, get down and walk."

"Why can't we walk together like a regular brother-sister pair? Even Komachi wants to be with her brother, you know? Ah, that scored pretty high in my book."

"Why do you want to advertise in school that you're my sister? Just live a normal high school life and be happy."

"Such a meanie. Idiot, nincompoop, Hachiman!" Komachi ran off.

 _Wait, Hachiman's not even an insult… Well, at this point it might as well be._ He continued walking, bicycle in hand.

* * *

The Service Club had gathered for the day, having just rejected another of Isshiki's wild ideas to do an 'animal comforting' event. Yui was deep in thought, which came as a surprise.

"What are you thinking about, Yuigahama-san?"

"Oh, Yukinon. I was just thinking about Iroha-chan. She comes up with these crazy ideas and you two always shut her down. I just feel bad for her, you know?"

"Don't worry about her, Yuigahama. She'll bounce back, cheery as a dead sunflower tomorrow." Hachiman deadpanned.

"Hikigaya-kun, I am frankly surprised at the amount of dedication you take in making beautiful expressions sound as disgusting as possible. Maybe you should become a comedian."

"And? Who will laugh at my high-level jokes? You? The Ice Queen of Sobu High?"

"Now, now, let's not resort to name-calling." Yui tried to placate the situation.

"So, Hikki, what was the title of your essay for today's assignment?"

"It was pretty awesome if I do say so myself. I titled it: _How mediocrity should be worshipped._ " Hachiman beamed.

"I can't seem to understand which is more disdainful: The title you chose or the absolute pride and shamelessness you show in declaring it." Yukino interjected.

"Oi, it was a work of art you know! Sensei told me the prose itself was worthy of full marks. Though, not before I got a free punch in the gut." He fake-nursed his stomach.

"Serves you right, it seems." Yukino let a mock smile on her face.

"Yukinon, what did you write?"

" _A reflection on inner beauty._ "

"Wow! The title sounds so cool!"

"Just so you know, I too received full marks on this prose." Yukino said, eyeing a certain fish-eyed loner. He scowled.

"Inner beauty? What a load of crap. Can I see it? Can I measure it? What am I supposed to do with it? Will it pay the bills? Feed my family? This seems like the rambling of an idealistic woman who's just shut her eyes from the truth.

"And what would you suggest be the standard for evaluation? Outer appearances?"

"Well, I appreciate outer appearances as much as the next guy."

"Hikigaya-kun, we have a word for such people. We call them perverts."

"Huh, what makes you think I was sexually objectifying you?"

"When you said you cared only for outer appearances and not the inner beauty, weren't you treating me as an object out of your

"I wasn't treating you specifically as an object, you know?"

"Be that as it may, the fact is that this proves how narrow-minded boys really get at this age."

"Since when did this become a generalization?"

"Since the day I realized how boys have this complex about 'protecting' a girl. And how they use it as a tool to expect favors in return, making it seem like servitude. Not realizing how I as a girl value my own independence in my own matters."

"Look, if this is about the prom, then I've already apologized. There's nothing more I can do."

"You have no need to apologize. You were simply acting true to your nature. That's what you do."

"But I…" Hachiman shut his mouth as he remembered the conversation he had on the day with Haruno.

 _What do you think is your current situation, Hikigaya-kun?_

 _A love triangle?_

 _No, I like to call it a co-dependence._

Hachiman was not dumb. He had never looked at their situation as anything else. But hearing Haruno's words had made him ponder about their true status. Ponder about where this would take them to in their future. Hachiman already knew that it was fragile, that it would take only a move from one of them, a few words spoken from the heart; and it would all come crumbling down. Was it really anything more than that? He knew that anything this fragile and easily breakable was not worthy of continuing; but was it really such a bad thing? To let the current impasse run its course? To enjoy the rest of his youthful days in pure bliss and keep the status quo running?

 _Huh, that sounded so ironic in my mind right now._

"Hikigaya-kun? What are you thinking about?"

"Oh, nothing. Just thinking about something Haruno-san told me."

"What did Nee-san tell you?"

"Nothing worth mentioning to you." Hachiman quickly brushed her off.

"Is that so?" Yukino had a different expression than usual on her face. Was it sadness? Hachiman never expected her to be sad about being brushed off. Did she expect him to open up to her on everything? Did she expect it to be so easy- for him to forget 16 years of isolation based on just a single year of companionship? Not even he was that naïve.

On the other end, Yui was painfully following the situation as she tried to cool it off.

"Yukinon, do you want to go…" She was abruptly cut off.

"Then, if there's nothing else to do, I'd like to go home. Is that fine with you, President?"

"Yes, if that's what you really want." Hachiman couldn't get that taunting tone out of his mind. Was this her way of telling him to say? He almost had a mind of rolling along with it but he pretended to be tired and gave up. As much as he loved arguing with Yukino, today was not the correct time. He went towards the door, opened it and walked off.

He was barely a few paces away from the door when he bumped into someone. A girl, by the looks of it.

"Oi, can't you look forward when you walk? Idiot." Hachiman blurted out as he turned around.

"Oh, if it isn't Hikio." Miura Yumiko was standing there, probably fake-nursing her shoulder.

"Tch." Hachiman scowled. Another annoyance in his increasingly growing circle of 'acquaintances'.

"Huh? Is that some way of greeting someone you know?"

"Yes, if that someone's nothing more than brainless eye-candy."

"What are you saying? I can't understand a thing."

"It wasn't for your understanding anyway." Hachiman rued himself. What was the point of a well-placed insult if the recipient didn't even understand it?

"Anyway, I was going to the Service Club room. Is it open?" _Are you an idiot, woman? You can clearly see the door open and unlocked if you just turn around._

"Yukinoshita and Yuigahama are still inside. I'm done for the day, though. So goodbye."

"You're a good friend of Hayama's aren't you? I need your help too."

"Huh? What does that have to do with anything? And I told you already, I'm done for the day."

"Just come with me for now." Miura grabbed his hand and half-dragged him back to the club room where Yukino feigned interest in this new situation.

"Ara, Hikigaya-kun? What's this? Some kind of new play I'm unaware about?"

"You know it's nothing like that. Seriously, this woman just assumes the concept of private space does not exist." That part was true. Being so close to Yumiko was like defusing a time bomb. One wrong move, and it could all go south.

Hachiman took this time to steal a glance at Yumiko. She was looking down, almost as if she was avoiding them. But she was here, wasn't she? Which meant she was… blushing? And there was only one reason she would be blushing in, of all places, the Service Club.

 _Oh, no. Not this._

Yumiko let go of his hand. Hachiman rubbed his wrists where she had grabbed him and went back to his seat. Despite being a girl with a slender build, she sure had an iron grip.

"So, Miura-san, what brings you to the Service Club this time?" Yukino was maintaining a calm face, despite Hachiman knowing otherwise. A year spent around her had given him enough pointers to know Yukinoshita was clearly annoyed. Yumiko, on the other hand, was trying to muster up courage to speak her mind. Yukino was keenly observing her, trying to study Yumiko when realization struck her too, Hachiman observed. And that seemed to change Yukino's face into one of understanding.

"Miura-san, if you do not tell us, we cannot help you. As you know, the first step in getting help is to ask for it." The softness in her voice, coupled with a sly nod in Hachiman's direction, startled him. Was this her way of taunting him? Or was she saying this to herself, which would mean this was an allusion to the date at the aquarium? Either way, Yukino was thinking of their current state more than she let on.

"F-Fine, I will." Yumiko's voice had started shaking.

"Then, please continue."

"I'm just… tired, you know? Tired of actively hiding from myself. I thought this would give me time to collect myself, to get my thoughts in order. But the more time I waste, the more I find him slipping away. Did you know what he told us today?"

"Of course, I don't."

"He told us that he'll be going to Tokyo University. And here I thought we'd be together till college. I… It feels like he's abandoning us. We all thought of staying together in Chiba University."

"That's a bad thing to say, Miura-san."

"I know, but it feels like he's… hiding things from us. Not telling us how he really feels. Is that how friends work, Yukinoshita-san?"

"Eh, maybe he has a lot on his plate, you know, Yumiko-chan? Maybe he wasn't sure of it himself yet, and he told you once he'd decided?" Yuigahama's pathetic attempt at consoling her didn't work. What a surprise.

"But, Tokyo is far. What if he… gets new friends and forgets about us? Or worse… he falls for someone?"

"That could definitely happen. In fact, I can already imagine him walking around with a harem of girls in college." Hachiman helpfully interjected.

"That's so gross, Hikio. No wonder girls hate you."

"So does that mean Yukinoshita is a dude? Can't imagine her like that."

"Don't misunderstand me, Hikigaya-kun. I still hate you. I just tolerate your existence because I am very understanding and large-hearted." Yukino gave a glare which Hachiman took a sign that this was where his participation ended.

"I'm sorry for his unseemly words. As President of this club, I take full responsibility for his actions." Yukino made a fake bow so deep Hachiman wanted to vomit.

"Ah, it's okay."

"Well then, let us continue."

"I think I have beaten around the bush enough. It's not easy… but I think if I don't do anything now, I won't get a chance to later. So…"

"SO?" Yukino's piercing glare was already affecting Yumiko.

With some effort, she mustered up enough courage to say the words.

"I… I want to confess to Hayama Hayato."

* * *

"So… That's it huh? And here I was expecting something more." Yukino looked unimpressed. Hadn't she really guessed what Yumiko wanted? It was fairly easy, when Hachiman thought about it. That woman has thought only about Hayama for the better part of two years. Even an idiot could see where this was going.

"What does that mean? Just because you can't love someone doesn't mean you get to mock someone else's feelings."

"I'm sorry, Miura-san, that's not what I meant." Yukino sounded genuinely hurt now.

"Hmph."

"So Yumiko-chan wants to confess to Hayama-kun? That's no nice!" Yui was now beaming with pride, seeing her friend take such an important step.

"That's not it. It's not the confession I want your help with. Rather, I want your help in making him treat me like a woman."

"And what does that mean?" Hachiman felt like she was going off on a different tangent.

"It means I want your help in making my confession a success. I want him to fall for me, if he hasn't already. And that's where you guys come in."

The three of them looked thoughtfully at each other for a while, a mix of disappointment and annoyance so serious that it scared Yumiko for a second. Finally Yukino spoke.

"I am really sorry, Miura-san. I wish you had approached us before, I really do. But as the Service Club is right now, we cannot accept your request."

"Huh? What does that mean?"

"After the whole situation with Ebina-san, we decided that we wouldn't take anymore requests for confessions, because they tend to go differently, especially with Murkygaya-kun here." _Oi, will you stop with the insult already?_

"Then what about Isshiki-san? I know you guys had a hand in whatever she did."

"That was a special case, and it was mostly Hikigaya-kun involved. We were out of it."

"But…"

"Think about it this way. You want us to impose our will and wish on Hayama, without a care about what he wants or who he wants to be with. Isn't that awfully self-serving?"

"I… didn't think about it like that."

"But Yukinon, shouldn't friends help each other in need?" _That only applies to you, Yuigahama. We are just stuck in the same room with Yumiko Miura._

"Like I said, Yuigahama-san, high school relationships are not something I want to meddle in anymore. I'm sorry, but if you help, you're on your own and not as a member of the Service Club."

Yuigahama looked crestfallen as she said, "I'm sorry, Yumiko, but if Yukinon doesn't want to help then I can't help too."

"And what about you, Hikio?" Miura's face looked like she was searching for a sliver of hope, however unlikely the place it was hidden.

"You already know the answer. Our President had denied you help, so as far as I'm concerned, I'm already out. Besides, I just want to go home." Truthfully, he was getting bored. If they weren't going to do anything useful, he might as well just go home. Hachiman picked up his bag and walked off.

* * *

 **A few days later, a random family restaurant, Chiba**

"So, how's college going?" Hachiman chose the cheesiest line in the book for his opening statement.

"You know, so-so." Haruno sounded unimpressed and bored. Frankly, Hachiman could do better; but he had come to appreciate the mind games with Haruno-san more than he'd care to admit. It was a refreshing exercise his mind could use after being around the monotony of his school life and family. He straightened up and looked Yukinoshita Haruno in the eye.

"Ehh, getting so daring now, are we? I can imagine a few people getting jealous at this." Haruno's playful taunts were a steep price to pay for it, though.

"Who are you talking about?"

"You know, just the usuals."

"It's nothing like that, not yet anyway."

"So, there's still a chance of something happening? How confident." Haruno took the time to order mocktails for them as they adjusted themselves for round 2.

"Hikigaya-kun, how long are you going to keep this farce running?" Haruno's face had grown more serious now.

"Like I told you many times before, there's nothing of that sort going on. And besides, why are you so insistent on pestering me about it? Simply because you find us entertaining?"

"That is there, but the more important fact is that my sister's involved."

"And that alone makes it worth meddling? Knowing your sister will be affected?"

"Hikigaya-kun, I'll admit that I would be lying if I didn't get some sadistic pleasure from seeing you idiots agonize so much over each other. But, even then, she's still my sister. It's always the older one's job to look after the younger one. For so long, Yukino-chan has followed my shadow; all the while I was chasing my mother's. Which is the sole thing I did not want her to do. So I acted the only way I could; by making her hate me. Which did not work. It was only after meeting you and forming the Service Club that Yukino-chan changed. Enough for Mother to take an interest in her again. And I've been told to rein her in too. The incident at the prom certainly didn't help your cause, either. Things are progressing far faster than I had anticipated. Which I have you to partially thank for. So now Yukino-chan either musters enough courage to finally break free from Mother's shackles, or she crumbles and gives in as she always has. And the former means she has to come to terms with her feelings first. And as her sister, I just want what's best for her. Considering you have a younger sister too, I hope you understand."

Hachiman sat back and pondered for a while. What was Haruno playing at here? It did seem like she was telling the truth, but it also seemed like she was deliberately keeping him in the dark. Juggling multiple pieces together and then setting them loose was her style. Whatever it was, Hachiman had realized something from her voice that he had discerned.

 _Desperation._

That was surprising. Haruno had never yet sounded desperate. Which meant that whatever was happening, it would be soon. And Hachiman did not want to stare down the barrel of a metaphorical gun, with Haruno at the trigger. That was dangerous, in more ways than one.

"Speaking of family, what about Hayama-kun? I heard he's applying for Tokyo University."

"And who told you that?" Hachiman genuinely didn't care too much for Hayama, but even he could appreciate him staying out of Haruno's prying eyes; not that it would ever happen.

"Believe it or not, Yukino-chan told me. Says she was surprised when she heard it."

"Yeah, Miura-san told us about that." Now that the cat was out of the bag, there was no point stalling.

"You mean that blond freak? Never took her for an active swinger. Usually girls like her are the shyest about it." Now this was surprising. Either her deductive skills were too great now or Yukino had blabbed too much, which he couldn't see happening.

"Well, it is what it is."

"Isn't that great? They really fit each other well, unlike a certain other couple I know." Hachiman scowled. He didn't want to be feeding Haruno's ego, so he kept quiet.

"The why don't you help her? This kills two birds with one stone. Makes Hayama-kun happy and gets him off Yukino-chan's back."

"What are you talking about?"

"You'd be an idiot to not realize this by now."

"Like I said, what are you talking about?"

"Well, if you don't get it, then I suppose I have no choice but to handle it myself. Go home, Hikigaya-kun. You've done enough for today."

"Just remember, Haruno-san. People hate it when they get played. Someday, you're gonna get what's coming to you." Hachiman got up when Haruno spoke.

"Believe me Hikigaya-kun, I'm already suffering enough. Not even I can get whatever I want." Haruno's gaze softened as he stared at him, which caught him by surprise.

"Then, goodbye." He left with a curt nod. Haruno smiled.

 _So, this is the guy you've entrusted your fate to, Yukino-chan? A good choice._

Haruno picked up the bill and requested the manager to extend her reservation, which he happily obliged to. Then she made a phone call.

* * *

Hayama Hayato rarely hated being called out on expensive dinners with people. But this time was different.

On the other chair, Yukinoshita Haruno was eyeing him, like a spider who had waited hours for the fly to fall in its web.

"You know, Yukino-chan told me that you were applying to Tokyo University. Why am I hearing about this from her and you? I thought we were close enough that you could share anything with me. And I do mean anything." The last word came out in a tone that made Hayato choke as he composed himself, wiping his mouth with a tissue.

"I don't see how that has anything to do with you, Haruno-san."

"Maybe it doesn't. Maybe it does. Did you know Tokyo used to be Yukino-chan's first choice too? Kinda put this under a suspicious light, you know. Of course, she's changed her choice now so it doesn't matter. Or maybe she hasn't? You never know."

"There is nothing like that, Haruno-san. This was purely my choice."

"But you know, sometimes choices can get taken out of our hands. Just look at Hikigaya-kun today."

"So you mean he was here too?"

"Yeah. He was here an hour before you. We had a very interesting conversation just now."

"Huh." The less Hayato knew about this, the more peaceful his sleep for today would be.

"He's made a decision too, you know. One far more important to you than you'd think. That is why he'll talk to that blonde tomorrow."

"Yumiko-chan? Why drag her into this?"

"Believe me, she put herself in the crosshairs when she went to him first. After all, what she wants will ultimately benefit him too."

"If you say so." Hayato was bored of listening to her cryptic talk, so he feigned disinterest.

"Oh come on. Must I spell out everything for you kids? This is no fun."

"I don't know what you're talking about, Haruno-san; and I don't even care anymore. Honestly, what do you want me to do about him?"

"Him? Oh, don't even bother touching him, you won't win. That I can guarantee you." This time it seemed to have worked because Hayama visibly recoiled at the comparison.

"I don't care about that."

"But for all you care, he's already won, hasn't he? After all, what you couldn't manage to do in 3+ years, he did it in less than a year. You were chasing her shadow for so long you didn't bother to think about walking alongside her. And that's where you failed, Hayato-kun. Yukino-chan moved forward and left you behind. And all you have to show for it is this jealousy."

"I am not jealous of that man, Haruno-san. He has no redeeming qualities whatsoever. He does things his own way. Does not care about who he hurts, even himself. I genuinely hate him." Hayato remembered the after-party conversation, where they had affirmed as much to each other. That was all there is to it. They could never acknowledge the other's way of doing things. And yet, he couldn't help but see how Hachiman's actions brought results. How he was capable of shouldering hate, which made him worthy of respect. How he had changed from being a friggin' nobody after meeting her.

"Well, Onee-chan has said her piece. The rest of it is up to you guys to decide."

"Haruno-san, I hope whatever happens, we end up disappointing you." Hayato got up and left, his driver quickly taking him away.

Left behind, Haruno twirled her cocktail as she smiled.

"Oh believe me Hayato-kun. This promises to be anything other than a disappointment."

* * *

To say that his PreCure binges were going late into the night was an understatement. But today Hachiman was awake for entirely different reasons. Trying to make complete sense of what Haruno wanted was always a mystery, but this time it was different. She sounded serious and desperate, which were traits you wouldn't see around her. And all of it had started with Miura's confession. Had denying her been too hasty of a decision? It was possible that Yukino simply did it out of her disdain, but could there be more to it? It did occur to him that lately the distance between them was widening. Could it be because of Hayama? From what Haruno-san said, it did seem like there could be some undue pressure from him. Or… maybe something more. Which is what he had to find out.

 **Next day, Sobu High School**

"So, what did you call me all the way here for?" Lunch break was Yumiko's prime time for gossip; she hated being denied that time.

"Recently, I've made observations that lead me to believe there is more going on with your situation than I knew before. So, I'm here now."

"Then, you mean…"

"Yep. I am going to help you win over Hayama-san."

"Really, Hikio? Thank you so much. I knew you were creepy and butt ugly, but you always come through for people in need, no matter what."

"Tch. Don't make me regret this, you dull blonde."

"Yes, yes."

"So, first things things. We need the other side's perspective."

"And that means… what exactly?" Yumiko's puzzled expression was something that would annoy him, but now he just didn't care. Hachiman had a creepy smile on his face which unsettled Yumiko.

"That means, time for a long overdue chat with Hayama Hayato."

* * *

 **A/N: And that's a wrap for this chapter. Sorry it took so long, got caught up in personal life and was searching for a new place to stay. Quite a bit of setup here, with the payoff coming much later. Right now, I have a main story to get back to.**

 **SO, one of the notable absences from this story will be, as observed, everyone's favorite foxy president Isshiki Iroha. Seriously, I already have trouble thinking about the main cast and OC's so I couldn't devote time to giving her a good story appearance. No point writing her into the story if she ends up poorly written or too OOC. She will be mentioned in passing only, probably even in the interludes. This could change in the future, but my current draft of the story does not include her. Sorry, Isshiki fans. You have been warned.**

 **As for Hachiman himself, I feel as if though his base character is too passive for my taste. My version of Hachiman will be much more forward with his decisions, so let me know if it works here or makes him too OOC for you to care.**

 **As always, a big thank you to the people who keep reading, following and favoriting this story and me as an author. See you next time!**


	5. Chapter 3: Preparations

**Chapter 3: Preparations**

 **April 2023, a udon restaurant, Chiba**

"Re…Restart the Service Club? What are you saying, Hikki?"

"Exactly what I said." Hachiman leaned back, giving Yui time to get over shock and think more clearly about what they were talking.

"But- But why now? Why _now_ of all times?"

"I think you know why." Hachiman's face hardened, a look of determination that didn't feel was usual.

"It's been 10 years since I turned my back on everyone, Yui. I had thought that the shared life I'd build with Yukino would be enough to get me through. That she was all I needed. And now that she's not here anymore, I can't imagine myself becoming a loner again. I've been made to realize that much. I don't want to give up on myself and everyone else like I did 10 years ago. And I think the best way for me to relieve myself of this guilt is to help them out when in need. Call it my selfish wish, but I feel as if the only way to move forward would be to pretend that things are just like they were back then. Though I'm not sure that would bring me any closure."

"Well, I'm personally glad that you're opening up again, Hikki." Yui made her classic grin with a sing-song sound that he knew all too well. "Though, I'm not sure some of them will take your decision too well. Hayato-kun especially."

"I'll cross that bridge when the time comes." Which to him meant Hayama should be approached last.

"So, who's first?"

"What do you mean first?"

"I mean, we have to start somewhere right?"

"Hold on a minute. Who said we should start right now? Besides, I have other, more important matters to work on. Like, for example, searching for a job."

"Ah, about that. You don't need to worry. We have a vacancy in our supermarket, you know, and I think you should come work there."

"Come again? You mean you want me to work for you?" Working for Yui was not something he had even considered would happen, ever.

"Not for me, idiot Hikki. You'll work for my husband."

"What difference does that make?"

"What does it matter anyway?" Yui sounded exasperated. "You need a stable job, we need people. Why not start part-time and see if you like it? Depending on how things turn out, it could even become full-time. Don't tell me you're chickening out just because you hate talking to people."

"That's not it, idiot. It's just… I never imagined myself working in a supermarket of all places. Especially after walking around the hallways of so many companies." To be truthful, Hachiman had grown weary of moving around the same corridors, sitting and waiting in the same rooms, talking to the same people and getting rejected every time. Stuck in the same routine, over and over again. Moving like clockwork, never stopping to look back and care. It was almost like he would've turned into a drone, had that encounter not happened. "Fine. It's hard to argue against a person when they're right."

"See?" Yui had her right fist raised in a victory sign. _What's with that cool pose?_

"Then…" He was abruptly cut off as Yui grabbed his hand.

"Then let's go!" The excitement in her voice was drawing attention, in a way he did not like.

"Go where?" Hachiman's wary tone only served to piss her off.

"Where else? To talk to my husband for the job."

"Right now?"

"I mean, now is as good a time as any, don't you think?"

"But why now?" It felt like his repetition would have no effect.

"Look, the faster your money issue is solved, the better for you, you know. Plus, my husband has wanted to meet you for quite a while. I'm sure he'll be happy." Now that surprised him.

"You sure he doesn't just want to punch me in the gut instead?" Knowing what had happened between them, he expected a more hostile meeting with her husband, if he knew.

"Don't worry, he's a really nice guy once you get to know him. He's… like you in some ways, but different too. I'm sure you'll get along"

"Give me a yen for every time I heard that statement and I'm sure I'd be rich as hell." Sucking up to people was the last thing he wanted to do. But to be fair, he was interested in hearing about what kind of man Yui had bagged. He was… like him and not too? A very vague way to describe someone.

"See? One thing is for sure, he's not self-depreciating or sarcastic like you. Come on, let's go." She was still holding onto his arm as they came out and waited for a taxi.

Hachiman had to wonder, had Yui been this forward? What was he thinking, she always had been forward. At least, more than Yukino ever had been. After all, she had practically confessed to him so many times in school, and he had been dumb enough to not pick up on the signs. Actually, he had; he'd just ignored them for fear of breaking the status quo; pretending that he didn't understand his own feelings and beating around the bush just to keep his ego propped up. Hachiman was in awe of the new Yui, this woman who now led a respectful and good life; as she rightly deserved to. Maybe she was still a 'nice girl' underneath this new persona.

"You've changed, Yuigah-Yui."

"Huh?"

"No. Deep down, it actually feels like you haven't. And I like it."

"Are you hitting on me now, Hikki? So creepy. I'm married and have a 3-year old kid, you know." Yui punched his hand hard as he winced in pain.

"Ow, ow. All right. I accept defeat, you brute. All I meant is that sometimes, people not changing is for the better too."

"Then why didn't you say so in the first place, Creepygaya…" She stopped as she realized who she had unconsciously imitated. Realizing her mistake, she dropped her head in shame and almost immediately recovered.

"Ah, there's our ride. Taxi!" She exclaimed, pulling on his hands once more. Hachiman could only sigh in defeat as he awaited whatever fresh hell awaited him at the hands of her husband.

 **A few hours later, Miyamura Supermarket**

Hachiman pretended to have a look around as he saw Yui and her husband talking, presumably about him. He felt out of place here, what with parents clutching their kids tightly and women giving him death stares, as if he were a former convict who recently got out of jail. Some things were never going to change.

"Ah, Hikki. Come in." Yui emerged from a room behind the counter, wearing a rather conservative but slightly form-fitting uniform that accentuated her existing figure. Hachiman barely had time to take it all in when a teenager with a smartphone in hand bumped into his shoulder hard. He was forced to take a few steps to the left. _Damn teenagers, walking around with that hefty air without a care in the world._ Who was he kidding? Hadn't he been once like that? Thinking that he was the only one who _truly_ understood the world for what it was. And coming in for a rude…

"Hikki? What are you doing there spacing out for? Come on."

"Yes, yes, I'm coming."

He entered the small room – presumably an office, from the looks of it – and found himself face-to-face with the eponymous owner. He was dressed in a simple red checked shirt and dark blue pants with a wooden slipper that felt out of place. His face was what drew attention. It was _stretched,_ to say the least. It almost felt like the guy had tried making funny faces at a comedy club and failed, getting stuck like this. _What misfortune drove Yui towards this thing,_ he wondered. The man took a deep bow.

"A pleasure to meet you, Hikigaya-san. I am Miyamura Uchimoto, Yui's husband and the owner of this supermarket."

"Y-yeah, likewise." Hachiman bowed in return.

"You know, Hikigaya-san, I'd expected you to be a bit more… what's the word for it?" Hachiman observed the man fumble around as Yui chimed in.

"Dear, please go easy on him…"

"Ah. _Grand._ I expected you to be more of a standout, Hikigaya-san. Imagine my surprise." The mock deadpan at the end gave the man's intentions away.

"Oh please. If you've really heard about Yui from me, you'd know grand and standout are not words you'd use to describe me." The mockery had now become a part of his daily life.

"Sorry, Hikigaya-san. I was just messing with you. Yui tells me you're always uptight about something so I was just having some fun at your expense." _You don't say. You already look like a failed comedy act._

"So, Hikigaya-san. Yui tells me that you're looking for a job? And that you'd like to work here."

"Uh, it's not like I want to work here, but…"

"I know, I know." Uchimoto raised a hand to cut him off. "Hardly anyone would think about working at a supermarket at their prime, right? I say people think too much about everything in life. Just keep living and eventually things'll work out." _I really can't tell if he's too smart or too dumb for his own good._

"If only people had your sense of a care-free lifestyle, this planet would've descended into chaos long before we would've been born."

"Uh, what do you mean by that, Hikigaya-san?" _Was this man really dumb or just pretending to be one?_

"Nothing. Let's move on to more serious matters." To be honest Miyamura-san was starting to get on his nerves. Hachiman doubted whether he could hold a decently long conversation with him, let alone work for him long-term. Though long-term employment was not something he was considering.

"Ah. Straight to work then." Uchimoto tried putting his game face on, which honestly did not work well with his face now looking like a caricature. Hachiman had to control himself from guffawing.

"We are in requirement of more general-purpose staff."

"General purpose?"

"Yeah. Inventory management, item display, customer guidance and grievances are all areas we are short of staff on right now. I've hired an external agent to do our finances from time to time, but he isn't cheap. I feel like an in-house employee would be better."

"I can't help you there. I sucked at math in high school." Picking up spreadsheets again was not something he wanted to do.

"I'm just stating facts, Hikigaya-san. No need to worry. I'll keep the finances out of your purview then." Hachiman breathed a sigh of relief inwardly.

"So, some of it would be your current job. I'm also thinking of expanding our CCTV system and need help with weekly review of the tapes if necessary. So, that about covers the job. Do you accept?"

Hachiman considered the proposition. Sure, the pay would be low and the work high. This wasn't a desk job like he was used to for the past 6 years; this would involve more work than he was accustomed. But the prospect of working and being around Yui did excite him a bit. It sure beat running around like an idiot and begging those HR hotshots in the large companies for a job where he would only be treated like scum; exploited to the full for profits and discarded if he made so much as a whimper. He would be nothing more than another drone fallen victims to society's shackles. This was a win compared to that. He didn't even know why he was thinking too much on this.

"Yes, I accept."

"See, dear, I told you he'd accept. You didn't believe me when I said he'd changed." Yui was standing near her husband, beaming with pride.

"I know. Some things are better seen to be believed, though." _Why was the guy pretending as if he knew me?_

"So when do I start?"

"Monday. Tomorrow I've given leave to my staff since I have some personal work to do." There was tension in the air as the couple exchanged a quick, apprehensive glance. Hachiman let it go. Prying into their business was not something he wanted to do.

"I was thinking of the same too. My sister's coming over today and I wanted tomorrow's time to take care of a few things myself."

"Ah, Komachi-chan's coming over? How nice!"

"She's here for the whole week. Just thinking about it has me on edge."

"She's your sister, Hikki. It's sort of her job to be there for you in times of need. Ah, how I wish I had a sibling too."

"Tell that to Yukino. Her whole family is a big exception to this…" He choked on the last words.

"Ah, some things can't be helped, you know." Yui tried to pitch in and hopefully divert the topic.

"That may be so." Hachiman leaned backwards in his chair, noting the concern on Yui's face. He hated this. Hated people being extra-nice to him just because they felt obligated to. But Yui was different. Wasn't she?

"Anyway, I think I'll take your leave now, Miyamura-san. Thank you very much for providing me the opportunity to work here."

"Of course. Then, we'll meet on Monday." Hachiman got up and walked out the door as Yui followed him.

"So Hikki, what do you think?"

"What do I think about what?"

"All of this. Me my husband. The supermarket. My life."

"It's nice." Yui could swear she saw his eyes gleam when he spoke with a raised head. "You have something good here, Yui. Treasure it. Keep a hold on it. You never know when you lose it after taking everything for granted. And then you're left with nothing but regret." The pain in his eyes was apparent now.

"What am I saying, of course you'll do well. Sometimes the things I say are so uncool."

"Don't you mean always?"

"Of course not. A man's got to have pride, you know." Hachiman puffed his chest as Yui could only laugh at the display.

"Yes, yes. Then, good luck with tomorrow, Hikki."

"Yeah." He turned around to leave as Yui hesitated, remembering the night of the reunion.

"Hikki…"

"What now?"

"Uh, nothing."

"Then I'll take your leave. See you later."

"Yeah, see you."

 **A few hours later, Yukinoshita Mansion**

Hachiman took in the sights of the vast area sitting in the taxi as the Yukinoshita estate loomed over the horizon. He was still peeved over the fact that he had to set up a _meeting_ to visit someone in their home. The personal number of Yukino's father rerouted to his secretary who set it up. But in their defense, he had first called their personal cell; and as people very much active in the higher echelons of society, their time was apparently was more precious than his and thus it had to be spent more frugally.Both father and mother were going to be present; which seemed to be more of a surprise than it should've been. Yukino had mentioned that her parents usually stayed away from one another with one pretext or another since the past few years, except for a few social outings. Whether anything happened in the background was none of his concern. He was here to make his case, hope to convince them and leave as soon as possible. The less time he spent around mother and daughter, the better for his health and sanity.

The taxi stopped at the entrance as a butler quickly but gracefully rushed to the back door and opened it. Hachiman stepped out and saw who it was.

"Yuji-san." Hachiman gave a curt nod.

"Hikigaya-san. It's a pleasure." Yuji had been the personal butler of the Yukinoshita family for the better part of 30 years and looking at him, it didn't seem like that was going to change anytime soon. The suit was immaculately tailored as always; Hachiman mentally prepared an image of him in a butler suit and quickly brushed the thought. The relation between them was amiable at best; both wanted to be out of each other's hair as much as possible.

"Please follow me. Master and Mistress are waiting for you."

"I know the way, Yuji-san. Thank you for the courtesy."

"I'm simply doing my job. Please allow me." The contempt in the man's voice was obvious.

"Then if you will." Playing the fake courtesy game had never been Hachiman's forte.

He entered the hallway and was greeted with the two faces he was all too familiar with.

Yukinoshita Natsuko. From what he little he had heard from Yukino about her mom, she had been a prize catch for the family. The previous Yukinoshita matriarch had picked Natsuko out for the passion in her eyes, and it was her influence that had gotten Yukino's father his Diet seat. He remembered the few times he had met Natsuko, they all had been under circumstances that would be considered 'non-ideal'. Haruno rarely talked to him about her mother, and what little she had said was nothing new. Hachiman had never considered the fact that someone could keep _Haruno_ in check, based on her comfort in talking about this topic. But here she was. The only way to describe her looks would be _regal._ She looked stunning in her kimono; somehow, she looked like she hadn't aged a bit since the time he had met her for the first time 11 years ago. The kimono itself looked likely something worth enough money to last him a year. Why people loved splurging so much money on looks was something Hachiman would never understand.

In comparison, one look at Yukinoshita Ichijou clearly showed whose genes the girls had inherited. He looked nothing like someone who could bag anyone as beautiful as his wife. Then again, Hachiman himself came from the same category so it was not like he could berate the man for it.

"Hikigaya-kun."

"Yes?"

"Are you just going to just stand there like an idiot? Or will we move forward."

"O-Oh. Sorry."

"And what's with these clothes? You still look like an unwashed homeless person living on scraps. At least dress for the occasion." The barbs from her stings had not lost their potency in the slightest.

"Oh, believe me, I am dressed appropriately enough."

"Now, let's stop with the verbal banter." The father tried to cool the situation with limited success. Natsuko made a clear face of disgust at this.

"Hikigaya-kun, what brings you here?"

Hachiman narrated the events of that day, culminating in the meeting.

"Oh, how interesting. And what does that have to do with us?"

"I want you to grant me access to Yukino's trust funds."

"What?" Natsuko's face turned to pure malice as she clasped the armrests of her chair.

"Calm down, Natsuko-san. I'm sure he has a good reason, given what he just told us. Hikigaya-kun, continue."

"O-okay. I want to use her money to primarily fund Airi-chan's education. That's all there is to it."

"Hikigaya-kun, a question. Do you think this Airi-chan is related to Yukino-chan by blood?" Natsuko enquired.

"I… don't think so. We all know the kind of person she was. Besides, her age seems to indicate she was born when Yukino would be in the States. Her bringing a child in to Japan seems very unlikely. Also, Yukino hates alcohol. So no drunken mishaps could lead to… this. I think."

"Hmm, I think we can rule out that she has a blood relation to us." Saying so, Natsuko rose. "Then that'll be all. You may leave. Yuji-san will drive you back, wherever you need."

"But that…"

"I said, we're done here. What part of a simple statement do you not understand? And don't worry; the orphanage will continue to remain funded. We are not monsters that would let children go to the streets." Hachiman rose up, fury rising his face as the father rose in tandem to block him.

"Calm down, Hikigaya-san. I'm sure we can reach an amiable solution if we just talk." Hachiman managed to sit down, not losing the glare.

"And Natsuko-san, you're being extremely rude here, you know. Regardless, Hikigaya-san has not behaved here in a disrespectful way. The least we can do is hear him out."

"But we did. And we're done. There's no reason to care for someone completely unrelated to us. Their problems are their own. Or are you saying we should leave all this and get into community service?"

"You know that's not what I meant. We clearly have the money, so why not help enrich the life of a young girl? Yukino-chan would've adopted her if she were alive, so she would've become family sooner or later. What does it matter if it's Yukino-chan or Hikigaya-kun who takes care of her? We should act responsibly in our roles as honorary grandparents and set an example for then young."

"Yukino-chan is dead anyway, dear. And throwing her name every time you want something from me isn't just manipulative, but also plain cruel. Think about that. But…"

"But?"

"I feel as though you're right here. If it helps a young girl with her life, I cannot see any harm in doing so. Very well. You may have the money."

"Thank you very much." Hachiman could already see a 'but' coming.

"But, I have conditions."

"And those are?"

"Firstly, the money will be dispersed only for her education. Nothing more, nothing less. The rest of her expenses will be borne by you. To that effect, the trust will control the money and release it appropriately. You will not get to see the money directly at all."

"Fine by me." To be fair, he had neither expected anything less nor wanted any of the money for himself in the first place. Using Yukino's hard earned money for his own selfish gains felt sacrilegious.

"Secondly, once she finishes her college with degree in-hand, the complete remaining trust fund amount will be released to her. She will be free to do whatever she wishes with that money. However, the condition here is that she will graduate from a type A university with an A grade. Anything less, and the trust fund money will be closed to her forever once she graduates. I will not waste my money on anyone who is not worth the upkeep. She wants my attention, she better prove she is worth it. Am I clear?"

"Yes, very. I promise you she won't disappoint."

"Very well. That should do it. And I believe that concludes our business here. Dear, I'll be heading to the room then. I still have some work to do. Hikigaya-kun, I take your leave." With that, she went off, climbing the stairs to the next floor.

"Then Yukinoshita-san, I'll be…"

"Hikigaya-kun, I remember telling you this before: Call me Father when we're alone."

"I know. But it still feels weird considering Yukino and I never married."

"I told you this too: I consider you as my own son now. I expect to be treated the same."

"Yes, _Father."_ There was no getting around this one.

"Good." He patted Hachiman on the shoulder, almost dislocating it. Hachiman winced.

"You know, Natsuko-san's trying her best too, you know? She's been angry at you two for so long. For what you did. But now that Yukino-chan's not around and you don't show up, she doesn't know where and how to vent herself. You might think she'd have learned by now, but nope; that old prude's still a kid on the inside. She feels a bit lost whenever I get her to open up. Can't stay mad at a corpse forever, you know?" Hachiman was not sure how to respond to that.

"My point is, learn to forgive her if she comes off as a bit blunt and cranky. After all, she's family too, you know?"

"I'm not sure she thinks of me as family."

"Oh believe me she does, Hachiman. Why else do you think she agreed to your proposal? She's started to mellow in her old age. We actually have proper fights now, can you believe it?"

"Didn't think that'd be the case, obviously." Hachiman deadpanned.

"My point is, deep down, some small part of her, however insignificant it may be, _does_ care for you. I just want to you to keep that in mind the next time you deal with us."

"I will, thank you." Hachiman never imagined the old hag to have a soft spot for him.

"Then, let's go. Yuji-san will personally drop you off."

They walked over to the limousine, where Ichijou stopped him again.

"One last thing. I want you to keep a close eye on your sister." There was no need to mention which sister he meant.

"She's always been a tad too carefree with her life. Not sure that'll change."

"Regardless of that, she's family too. And family looks out for their own. We are too busy with our own things to help her."

"What can I even do?"

"Just… meet her every once in a while. I'm sure that she will appreciate it."

"I will try my best." Hachiman got into the limo as a final voice rang out.

"And do visit us from time to time. We get bored too, you know."

A few minutes later, the limo was out of the estate grounds.

 **A few hours later, nighttime, Hachiman's apartment**

Hachiman trodded along along to his apartment building, turning the key on his lock when suddenly his phone rang. He picked up the phone as a feeling of dread enveloped him.

"Hachiman."

"Mom."

He could hear a sigh on the other end. "How are you, son?"

"Fine."

"Fine? Is that what you call this? You don't call. You don't visit. And then this happens. When will you learn to open up to your family?"

"What are you talking about?"

"See, now you feign ignorance. When were you going to tell us about the adoption?"

"As soon as it was finalized."

"And when would that have been?"

"Soon."

"Then why let Komachi know before we do?"

"You know the answer to that, Mom."

"And what is that?"

"You've rarely made time for us, Mom. Day and night, we see you two work to the bone, and sleep in the little free time you get. No family bonding trips, no father-son catch ball practice, no mother-daughter bonding sessions. Do you know how many times Komachi has cried herself to sleep the days you come late in the night? I know because I was there. Some days it felt like just the two of us against the whole world. You were nothing more than corporate slaves, whiling away your time for someone else's profit while neglecting your own children. So don't expect any favours from my side."

"Don't talk to your mother like that, Hachiman. Have some respect for your elders. Did you know that we came from a poor background? Our parents had too little money and too many mouths to feed. Japan was also reeling under its largest economic crisis at the time. So they coupled us together and let us off. Go find your own way, they said. And find it we did, though not before stumbling around for too long. It was so bad we had to worry about out daily food on some days. It took us till you reached middle school for our finances to stabilize. We did it all just to spare you two the pain. We had already decided that our children would never see the days we had to face. And so we worked. Worked enough to get you two everything you ever wanted at those ages. Got you two through the prestigious Sobu High School and Chiba University. Educated you enough for you to stand on your own two feet. Made you independent. And we paid the price too. While we saw other parents planning their next vacation, our only concern was getting our next paycheck; constantly worrying about you two over our shoulders. You don't think I saw the bags under her eyes during those days? That you would act grumpier than usual? That she gradually got closer to you, looking up to you for everything? That you weren't bringing friends over or telling us about your school life during elementary? Do you think we were really that blind, Hachiman? Do you really think we never worried about you for all these years?"

"Then what?" Hachiman's voice sounded hoarse now, tears filling his eye. "What should I do, Mom? I know nothing about being a parent. I…I can't be one. Not a defeatist like me."

"Hachiman, trust your parents." Her voice had grown softer. "I… We believe in you. We weren't perfect parents Hachiman, I'll be the first to admit that. But you have our full support behind you. Komachi too. So just… be there for the girl. Spend time with her. Entertain her. Listen to her problems. Let her find the solutions herself. Let her know she always has you to fall back on. Most importantly, _show her that you care. For her._ That is how she and you grow as a person. And I believe there'll be others who'll help you out. Hiratsuka-sensei. Yui-chan. Stay close to them. Let them help you in times of need. They are good people. Keep them around.

"I… Will, Mom. Thank you. It really felt like I needed this. I feel better now."

"See? No one understand a guy best than his mother."

"Yeah, yeah."

"So, when is Komachi coming?"

"Oh shoot, I almost forgot. She should be here soon. I'll talk to you later. Goodbye."

"Bye, Hachiman."

Tomorrow was to be another long day. But right now, he had a sister to pacify. He headed for the train station.

 **A/N: And that's a wrap for this chapter. I normally dislike writing emotionally heavy chapters, so let me know if it worked or if there's something to change. Next chapter is the visit to the orphanage, and we have some drama/issues here too. As always, thank you to the people who keep following, favoriting and reviewing this story and me as an author. Also keep leaving constructive feedback so that I can grow as a writer. That's it on my side. See you soon!**


	6. Chapter 4: A visit to the orphanage

**Chapter 4: A visit to the orphanage**

 **April 2023, The Orphanage**

Hachiman stepped out of the taxi, Komachi in tow. He hated using up his Sundays, which was a day devoted strictly to himself. But with Komachi in tow, all he had to show for the 20 hours he spent with her was irritation as she constantly nagged him about going. The orphanage was quite out of town, and Hachiman had to wonder why it was the case. He approached the large gate, and came upon a few children waving water guns around, with a woman trailing behind them.

"Come on, don't play with water. You'll get wet and catch a cold, you know."

"Those kids seem awfully chipper for abandoned kids, don't you think?" Komachi was eyeing them, barely missing a beat.

"Don't say things like that. Even they have a right to be happy, like everyone else. Their circumstances don't change this fact."

"Isn't that temporary too, like all things in the world?" Hachiman could certainly make do without pessimism from his sister. That was his job.

"What are you on about?"

"Nothing. Just a thought."

They continued walking, encountering an old man for a guard who was sound asleep. For the carefree looks of it, Hachiman envisioned a zombie apocalypse would take him out first; considering he hadn't even stirred with the racket outside. He tapped the guard's head and saw him rise up with a jerk, swinging his stick wildly around.

"Huh? No one here?"

"Get your eyesight checked, geezer. You were sleeping on the job. There are little kids here. What will happen if you sleep through an emergency?"

"I am terribly sorry, sir! I promise you this will not happen again!" The man seemed afraid of the fact for some reason, even though almost everyone in the orphanage would've known of this by now.

"Forget it. I'm not even in the mood to complain about this. Let's go, Komachi."

"Yes."

They entered the building, which seemed like a repurposed school. The layout of the rooms clearly reflected this, with classrooms now containing bunk beds and the various lab like rooms being used as makeshift kitchens.

"Wonderful, is it not?"

Hachiman turned around and came face to face with Aiura-san.

"I… wouldn't use that word, personally."

"Maybe not. But I'm biased since I've been here for the past 20 years."

"I guess. Then…"

"Let us continue this conversation in my office, please."

"Fine. Lead the way."

They walked behind Aiura-san, Hachiman observing that Komachi felt uneasy for some reason. He instinctively decided to hold her hand and pull her a bit closer, Komachi almost gasping at her brother's protectiveness. They reached the office room and entered inside.

The room itself was barebones, with not much paraphernalia decorating it other than a cupboard which looked like they held files; the desk which had nothing of note other than a Pan-san plushie that seemed out of place and a sofa on the side which should've been outside if it was for visitors in-waiting.

"Please sit. I'm sorry I didn't catch your name, Miss…"

"Ah sorry. I'll make the introductions. Komachi, this is Aiura Minori-san, the proprietress of this orphanage and the one I met that day. Aiura-san, this is my sister Komachi."

"A pleasure to meet you, Aiura-san."

"Likewise. But this is definitely a surprise. At first glance, it doesn't seem like you two are siblings at all. Only upon close inspection can one see the uncanny resemblance."

"If you say so." He wasn't really interested in small talk.

"I have a question." Komachi piped up, the cheer in her voice back.

"Yes?"

"Was this a school before or is that just an aesthetic choice?" Hachiman sighed. It was so painfully obvious that asking the question itself felt wrong. He saw Aiura-san clear her throat.

"I thought so. It actually was a school during my grandfather's time. He'd just come back from fighting in World War II and was one of the few truly educated people our country had. Wanting to do more than just get paid to kill people, he dropped out of the army and established this school. My father inherited it and ran it to the ground. Those were bad times for my family. He went ahead and committed suicide, leaving behind his wife, a daughter and a young son. Fortunately for me, I got into contact with some good people who helped convert this to the orphanage you now see. And that has been the case for the past 20 years. But a few years ago, their son cut my funding due to lack of revenue on his business. And I was forced to look for other avenues."

"And that's where Yukino comes in." Hachiman interjected, realizing.

"Correct, Hikigaya-kun. She got wind of it from an employee of hers who initially turned me away. What surprised me was that she personally came here to apologize to me. Till then, I had only thought of the Yukinoshitas as stuck-up. She personally promised me that she'd handle my case, saying her employee should've never declined it, considering that was the whole point of her trust fund. Then she started coming out here to help out, pretending she was actually here to check up on her money and that her helping out was purely out of her sense of duty. Around that time was when we renovated this whole thing, a _gift_ from her as a way of apology from her perspective." Hachiman could clearly imagine it, her _noblesse oblige_ still fresh in his mind.

"Sometime later, she would strike a bond with Airi-chan. I don't know too much about it, but I feel they saw something in each other. It got to the point where Yukino-chan would be here simply to see Airi-chan. It used to be a happy day for kids too. Regular gifts for everyone, outdoor lessons with fun and games; she even took them out on a field trip to Kyoto once. Ah, those were happy and simple times. But like all good things, it had to come to an end." Hachiman winced, wondering about how there was a whole part of her life he hadn't been too aware of. Or worse, maybe he hadn't actually cared to listen when she told him about all this.

"Let's talk about why we're actually here, Aiura-san."

"Oh. Uhmm-mm." Aiura-san cleared her throat. "You're right. I'll not take up much of your time."

"Thank you. Then, you can start by telling me about the girl."

"Airi-chan? Hmm, I can't say much about her, I'm afraid. Except that she prefers to be alone, is awfully smart and mature for her age and that she has quite a storied past."

"Oh? I'd like to hear it." Komachi had become curious.

"I'll come to that, Komachi-san. First, we need to decide which adoption scheme I'd prefer."

"Adoption scheme?" Hachiman asked.

"Yes. There's natural adoption, where she'll retain her family name and put as an adopted daughter in your family register. She'll still retain her rights and privileges from the old family. Also, regular adoptions can be dissolved. In case of special adoption, her ties with her past family will be completely severed and she'll be entered as your daughter in the family register. For all intents and purposes, she'll be treated like your birth daughter. The only caveat is that it only applies to children eight years or younger, and there's a probationary period of four months. You can choose any scheme you prefer, but for both of your sakes, I'd recommend special adoption."

"And why is that?"

"Because she's better off staying as far away from that man and his family as possible. They don't want her near, but they still keep her around on a leash. He comes around twice a year; takes her away on a trip for 3 days and promptly returns her back. Otherwise, they don't even interact with her a peep. And I doubt sentimentality has anything to do with it. That is what worries me."

"What worries you?"

"I don't know, Hikigaya-san. Honestly, if I were to choose between him and you, I'd obviously choose the lesser of two evils."

"Thanks for the vote of confidence."

"Don't mind me saying this." Aiura-san waved a hand dismissively. "But I rather dislike gambling, especially if it's a child's life on the line. So, forgive me for being blunt, but I'm taking a chance on you only because Yukino-chan trusted you."

Hachiman could only muster a meek "Thanks."

"In any case, I don't like her father. Too sweet-toothed for my taste. People like that are either too dumb or too smart; being acquainted with them can only cause problems. And he doesn't look like the dumb kind. I'd advise you to be careful." Hachiman had a list of a few problem people he wanted to add to the list.

"Me? Careful?" He clearly wasn't going to like what came next.

"You have to meet him after all. Only after he waives custody of her can we continue here. So, you're going to do the grand job of convincing him."

"Of course, I have to."

"See? You catch on quick."

"Fine. I'll go."

"Very well. Let me put a call to him then."

"Onii-chan, I'm going to go out for a walk." Komachi piped up, restless.

"Huh?"

"Because I'm getting bored. And I guess a walk will help with my sore legs."

"Be extra careful, okay? And don't wander too far. Bring Airi-chan along if you see her." Hachiman tried his best imitation of the "concerned brother" stereotype.

"Yes, yes. I won't be long. Then, I'm off!" Saying so, she left.

Hachiman waited for her to leave her vision before flashing a smile her away and turning back to Aiura-san in talks on her phone.

* * *

Komachi wandered around the site, occasionally stopping to take a look at the trees growing around. Outside, she could see a bunch of girls playing around in the sand, with a certain lone figure sitting under the shade of a tree, reading a book. Komachi approached her, minding the girls in the distance.

"Hey, what are you reading?"

"Just a book."

"Huh?" Komachi cooed, bending down to reach their level. "Why are you here and not with them?"

"Because they are stupid, and I don't like their pastimes."

"Now that's a rude thing to say, you know. They are your friends."

"Friends?" she snorted. "They are not my 'friends'. They are just people I have to put up with."

"You know, you remind me of a certain someone. He used to be just like you, broody and all. Probably still is."

"I'm not broody. Besides, my dislike for them is not fully unwarranted."

"What do you mean by that?"

"Nothing. I just don't like being cheery and make a racket like they do."

"They are just enjoying their youth, you know."

"Youth? Youth is a lie, the greatest farce of them all. Just a moniker slapped across a phase of life where you just pretend to a carefree agent of life. It's just people closing their eyes to the things before them and pretending everything is okay."

"You don't need to be so nihilistic, you know."

"This is not nihilism. I don't think life is meaningless. Rather, there are too many people who search for meaning and lose their way, and then there are those who find it and still feel restless. Then there are the true nihilists, who feel that life is just is and that attaching meaning is something our feeble minds do to rationalize it. Not completely wrong, though not completely right, either."

"Then please do pray tell, what is the true meaning of life according to your exalted visage?"

The girl snorted.

"What else? _Knowledge._ Life is meaning in it only if you pass whatever you earned along to the next person. I feel that as long as someone remembers you, talks about you and your deeds, you're not really dead. You're dead only when the world forgets about you. And what better way to remember than to pass on knowledge? We're here only because millions of people and creatures passed on their knowledge to us. That is what enables us to survive. A mother's protective instinct towards her baby is nothing but knowledge gained over millions of years where some mother realized her baby would not survive if left alone. That knowledge passed on until it became instinct. And now here we are, with you who will continue with this knowledge when that baby is delivered." Komachi's eyes widened. _How had she seen it? The baby bump should be barely noticeable to the untrained eye._

"Oh. Seems you are quite smart."

"I just like to read and assimilate information. Nothing else. Running such brain exercises is refreshing for my mind."

"I see." Out of the corner of her eye, Komachi could see Hachiman exiting the building, Aiura-san.

"Oi, Komachi. I'm leaving. Come on."

"Just a moment." Komachi looked back down and saw something she had missed earlier.

"Why are you wearing only one slipper?"

"Because I lost the other one."

"And how did you lose it?"

"We were playing football a while ago and it just slipped and flew off into the forest behind."

"I see." Komachi didn't need to be told anything more.

"Komachi, what are you…" Hachiman caught up to them, his eyes locking over her shoulders onto the girl.

"Airi-chan, I see you've already met Komachi."

"Yes." Was all that came out.

"Look, I have a gift for you." Hachiman brought out a wrapped present that he handed over to Airi. She glanced over to Aiura-san apprehensively before receiving a nod of approval. Gingerly, she fidgeted with it a bit before opening it.

"You can open it if you want."

She slowly opened the present, finding a box with a bunch of papers inside.

"What's this?" She slowly asked. Hachiman beamed.

"An original copy of _Panda's Garden_ ; the story that introduced Pan-san the Panda to the world."

"You mean the Destinyland mascot?"

"Yep. Supposedly, it was written by an American biologist for his son because he could not adjust when they transferred. This was one of Yukino's favorite books. This was what helped her learn English as a child. After all these years, she'd… want you to have it, I think." The expression had turned a bit more serious now.

"Is this… a parting gift? Will you not adopt me anymore? Is… this the last time we meet?" The girl clearly seemed sad. The gift had had the opposite effect on her.

"No. Just a proof of promise."

"Promise?"

"That I'll come back for you in a week. I still have to talk to your father and convince him of all this."

"Father? I don't like him. His new wife hates me. The only reason I go with him is because he takes me to meet Mother."

"He takes you to meet your mother? And where is your mother now?"

"I don't know. They don't talk a lot to each other. We just visit a few places, Mother asks about my school and health and we all pretend to enjoy each other's company. Father says that Mother's a criminal now, and they don't let criminals go near children. So, he takes me to meet her in secret." Hachiman frowned. Clearly there was more at play here than he thought. He would have to ask him about this.

"Don't worry. I will talk to him and convince him to let you stay with me. I don't see any reason for him to object."

"T-Thank you. I'll be in your care then, if you succeed."

"Yeah, same here. Then, see you next week, Airi-san."

* * *

Hachiman left for the taxi, a mix of thoughts clouding his mind. Now he had the matter of convincing Airi-chan's father to give her up for adoption, which as a topic that would not go well with any parent. Plus, there seemed to be certain circumstances at play here, which made it even more difficult. And he certainly wasn't cut out for the cloak-and-dagger stuff.

"Onii-chan, that's too bad, isn't it?"

"This? Honestly, it's a pain. I just want to get this over with."

"Do you think he'll agree?"

"I don't think why he shouldn't. He obviously wants her to be away from him. What difference does it make if it's there or with me?"

"You're right. But maybe he doesn't see that way."

"And I'm going to have to convince him to see otherwise." Hachiman sighed. "By the way, when am I to see him?"

"Huh? Why are you asking me? Weren't you the one who was there when she called him?"

"I suppose." Hachiman frowned, before replying. "Well, day after tomorrow it is then, I suppose."

They sat in the taxi, pretending to be deep in thought. Sometimes silence was the best conversation.

After reaching home, they had their dinner in silence. As they lay in their futons, Hachiman had a thought.

"Hey, Komachi. You awake?"

"Yep."

"There's something I've been meaning to ask."

"Go ahead."

"At what point in their life can someone call themselves an adult?"

"Where's this coming from?"

"Nothing. Just a thought."

"Hmm, there's a lot of things I'd say that qualify for being an adult. The simplest one though, would be the fact that you are independent and can take care of yourself."

"Oh? So that's how it is."

There was silence between them for a while before Hachiman continued.

"Sorry for today, by the way. Your trip was wasted, it seems."

"Not really. I got to meet the two of you, which was enough. And it has been a while since we got to be together under good circumstances."

"I wouldn't call it good."

"Better than the previous one, don't you think?"

"You have a point. Well, goodnight Komachi"

"Good night, Onii-chan."

* * *

 **2 days later, the Takeda household**

Hachiman rang the doorbell for the third time, getting no reply. He did not have a lot to time to waste in front of doors, and this show was certainly not making him like the man. He was about to ring the door for the fourth time when the door opened, and out stepped a stout man. The man was as round as they came, with a decent pot belly to boot.

"Excuse me, am I speaking to Takeda Eijiro-san?"

"Oh, you must me Hikigaya-san then. Well, you've found the right man. Come inside!" The cheery voice coming from that man's mouth unsettled him.

"Sorry for the intrusion."

Hachiman entered the house and found its decoration visually straining. The room was painted in various shades of color and the decorations around didn't certainly help either. If someone told him that this man ran a brainwashing center, he would believe them.

"So, to what do I owe the pleasure of this meeting?"

"I'm here for Airi-chan, as you already know."

"Hmm. Give me a minute." Eijiro went to the kitchen and came back with a bottle of what seemed to be alcohol. He filled out a glass for himself, handing out the empty one to Hachiman.

"Would you like some?"

"No thanks. I don't drink."

"EHH? You're a perfectly legal adult Japanese man and you won't drink? What kind of joke is that?"

"Not a joke. I don't drink out of habit."

"Why, if I may ask?"

"Multiple reasons, of which the simplest is that my body doesn't handle it well. The loss of control of my own body is something I don't like."

"Who says you only drink to lose control?"

"And why do you drink, Takeda-san?" Hachiman asked quizzically.

"Because, it helps clear my mind."

"And how does that help?"  
"See, Hikigaya-san, I believe that too often, we restrict ourselves from doing the things we want to. Civilization and society does that to you. The alcohol helps loosen my inhibitions and lets me see what I really want. Clears my mind, so to speak. Eliminates the noise in my head. Are you sure you won't take a drink?" Eijiro filled up his glass again.

"No, I'm sure. Thank you though."

As Eijiro finished the drink with two gulps, he let out a guttural burp and put the glass down.

"So, let's get to business, Hikigaya-san. You say you're here for Airi-chan? Why?"

"I want to adopt her. And to do that I need your permission."

"That you certainly do. But why her, if I may ask?"

"Because…" Hachiman hesitated before continuing. "What does it matter anyway? For you, it' enough to know that I want to adopt your daughter. That is it."

"Hikigaya-san, from what I can tell, you're just a random stranger that wants to take my daughter away from me, I don't know how far and just decided to waltz into my home. Thus, I have no reason to trust you, let alone hand over her to you."

"You don't even care for her!" Hachiman nearly shouted. "I'm simply doing you a courtesy of informing you. Why not let her live with you if that's the case?"

"Trust me, Hikigaya-san, if I could, I would. It's just… I have my own circumstances too."

Both sat silent for a while, Hachiman glaring at Eijiro, while Eijiro was visibly uncomfortable.

"Okay let's do this. We tell each other about our circumstances. No lies. A leap of good faith, if I may say so myself. Let's not be rash about this and say or do something we both regret."

Hachiman sighed. "You're right. I am sorry for the way I reacted. Let's re-engage in talks in good faith."

"That's better. Since you're the one with the request here, I'll hear your side first."

"Very well. Fact of the matter is, my… girlfriend, for lack of a better term, helped out at the orphanage. During that time, she took an interest in the girl. And apparently, she already had plans to adopt Airi-chan. I only came to know of this a few days ago. Even the preliminary paperwork was ready and done."

"And why, pray if I ask is your… girlfriend not here?"

"She's dead." Hachiman said simply. "Oligodendroglioma."

"I'm sorry, but what now?"

"A rare type of brain tumor with causes unknown. Incurable, but most people can live for quite a bit. She got 4 months after diagnosis. By the time it was diagnosed, it was quite advanced. The tumor was apparently too close to the brain stem. There was nothing the doctors could do."

"I'm sorry. It must have been tough."

"It was. I still remember her face during those times. So lifeless and drained of color. God, I…" Hachiman was about to tear up, but he compose himself. "I'm sorry, this was a bit off-track."

"No, please take your time. I believe the worst thing a man can do to himself is to not let himself grieve. Grief is part of how we process sad situations. Inhibiting it would be like holding on your bowels, and then they'll have a good chance of coming out at inopportune moments. Just like my case… Anyway, you were about to continue."

"Yes, sorry. Fact is, after her death, I found a letter from her alongside the documents I mentioned. Inside that, her last wish was for me to adopt Airi-chan. That's all there is to it."

"Hmm. This does make sense, when I think about it."

"And now you spit out yours." Hachiman's face remains impassive.

"I'm coming to that. Well, what can I say, my situation is one where it just didn't work out for everyone. Here I was, a young and naïve guy in college, when I meet this beautiful girl. We hit it off and the next thing I know, I confess to her and we're dating. Our romantic life used to be as rosy as they come. We got careless, and out came Airi-chan. That's when we decided to get hitched. What I didn't know was how soon this would change. Her job paid far more than mine, and that's when the cracks appeared. Everyday we would be fighting over some small thing or other. She would come home late, and I would too. Instead of confronting each other over our problems and talking it out like reasonable adult would, we threw ourselves into work as an escape mechanism." Hachiman nodded, understanding the motivation there. "And before we knew it, we stopped talking to each other. It went on for a while, and then one day the clock ran out." Eijiro filled his glass again.

"Honestly, I don't even remember why the fight happened when it did. Probably something to do with our daughter. And out of nowhere, she suddenly pulls out divorce papers. She manages to convince me to sign (no point salvaging a relationship if the other side doesn't want it), and then she packed her bags and left. No word on where she went. I was alone and afraid, with a young girl on my shoulders. I call my parents, they come over to live and immediately marry me to a girl I had refused, whose parents were childhood friends of my parents. I had no choice but to comply. 3 months later, she just turns up and demands custody. I refuse, citing that if she had wanted custody, she should've been here for the past 3 months. It doesn't matter now. She makes it a legal battle, and then when she thinks she's losing, she goes and does something stupid. She kidnaps Airi-chan and runs away for the second time. This time, the police find her in a week. Her lawyers manage to prevent criminal charges filed; instead, she is to not approach Airi-chan ever. I win the custody, but my wife would have none of it. She says she doesn't want to help raise the child of a woman like her. I don't want to, but I have to comply. And that's where the orphanage comes in. Twice a year, I let mother and daughter meet. Because I know that her hate for me aside, she still cares for her girl and it breaks my heart keeping them apart. This is the best I can do."

"I see." This revelation had been too heavy for him to bear. "Give me a minute please."

"And there you have it, Hikigaya-san."

"So, your answer is…?"

"I'm sorry, but I have to decline. While I cannot be her father as I want to be, I still want her somewhere close. And honestly, trusting her to a man I barely know doesn't help. The last time I trusted someone, I ruined my life. And I'm not about to take a chance again. She will remain where she is, where I can keep an eye on her."

"Is there any way I can force you to reconsider?"

"No, there is none."

"Really, that is a shame. I was hoping you could help me fulfill her last wish."

"I wish I could help you, but I'm afraid I cannot in this regard." Eijiro got up. "At least let me walk you out till the train station."

"That won't be necessary."

"The door it is then."

They walked out to the door, Eijiro holding the door open as Hachiman exited.

"Hikigaya-san?"

"Yes?"

"Well, if nothing else, you've now got a drinking buddy. Ever feel like grabbing a drink, you're welcome to my humble abode." Eijiro made a low Western bow. Hachiman's innards tightened.

"Thanks for the invitation, but as I mentioned earlier, I don't drink."

"A shame. Well, my door's always open if you decide to change your mind. My word is absolute."

"I see. Thank you for your time."

Hachiman walked off, clouds of uncertainty tinting his thoughts. What was he going to tell Komachi? And what would he tell _Yukino_? That he had failed? Again? That his only chance at being better slowly evaporated away? That Yukino's plans would all be for nothing? Then his phone rang. Hachiman groaned as he looked at the name. _Why her now, of all times._ He picked up the call.

* * *

 **Next day, Chiba Park**

"Hmm, I see. So that's what happened. And you don't have the guts to tell Yukino-chan you failed. Is that why you skipped the usual meeting with her?"

Hachiman groaned. Haruno had grown more annoying and perceptive with time. Calling him out to Chiba Park had seemed weird, but he had learned to go with the flow as far as Haruno was concerned. Why here, he had asked and the simple reply that followed had been that she wanted to take a walk. _As if._ "You skipped the visit too, as I recall."

"Unlike you, I'm not a creature of habit, Hikigaya-kun. I visit whenever I feel like it."

"Oh? And here I thought you had a pattern yourself?"

"Maybe I do, maybe I don't." Haruno stopped, wanting to buy a softy for them both. She handed the vanilla one to him, picking out a chocolate flavored one for herself.

"We're a lot like these ice-cream flavors you know."

"I guess."

"Vanilla, the timeless classic. Just pure bliss as far as taste is concerned. It is what it is. Doesn't pretend to be anything else. Some people find it too plain though and hate it."

"Oh." Hachiman was a little curious now.

"And then we have chocolate. A fan favorite, everyone likes it the first time they taste it. But no one knows how bitter the original is. This is just a bitter product packaged to be sweeter for more appeal. A pure faker, as it were."

"I can see the resemblance."

"Right?" Haruno squealed, drawing quite a few pair of eyes to them.

"Anyway, the point is that we haven't changed a lot since then, have we? I even remember the first time we officially talked after that 'incident' in school. Wasn't it after her funeral"

"Let's not go that far back in time, Haruno-san. And technically, it was during that time in my third year of college."

"I see. Well, the point I'm trying to make is that if you have something to ask, ask it. Onee-san hates boys who beat around the bush, you know. Teehee." Her toothless grin only added to the anger.

"What are you talking about?'

"You need only say the word, you know. Onee-san will rush to your help from anywhere."

Hachiman considered the implications. Could he trust Haruno with this? This was akin to using a natural disaster to solve a problem, but Haruno excelled at discretion. She had been the one to bring him the letter after all. She wouldn't have done that without a vested interest in the problem. Was this her way of showing her love? Hard to tell. In any case it didn't matter, because…

"It's not going to happen. Nothing I can give him will sway him. A bit too goody-two-shoes for my taste."

"Trust me, Hikigaya-kun. Money solves most problems. At least, once you have enough money to throw at a problem. Even then, I have a few aces up my sleeve. I strongly feel I can convince him to agree in return of certain benefits.

"So bribery? A payout? Is that what you're saying we resort to?" His face contorted in disgust.

"If we need to, but not necessarily that. Think about it, Hikigaya-kun. Does it really matter if it gets Airi-chan home?"

While he hated to admit it, Haruno's words had some truth to them. He had few to no options for this problem; and now that Haruno knew, it was only a matter of time before she got involved. Using Haruno was his best bet now.

"Fine." He conceded. "I allow you to help me out on this matter."

"Is that how you make a request, Hikigaya-kun? Don't tell me your parents didn't teach you any manners. That'd be a shame."

"Then, help me convince him."

"Is that a request or an order? As I recall, you use a certain word for requests, don't you?"

Hachiman's face visibly stiffened. She was clearly enjoying this.

"All right. Help me convince him to give up Airi-chan, _please._ "

"Well, if my precious junior makes a request of me, how can I refuse? Your request is accepted."

"And what's the catch?"

"Catch? There's no catch."

"There's always a catch with you."

"Not this time. This one's on the house, just for you. Consider it a… reparation for past misdeeds."

"I knew there was a catch."

"Come on, don't be such a spoilsport, Hikigaya-kun. I promise you'll have her with you."

"Thank you… I suppose. Just don't act rashly."

"I won't." But inwardly, Haruno smiled. She had finally been given orders. And she had plans. Oh, did she have plans. _That man is in for a nasty surprise,_ she mused.

 _After all, he's unintentionally made an enemy of the illustrious Yukinoshita Haruno._

* * *

 **A/N: And that's a wrap for this chapter. Next up; an impromptu meeting with the Kakerus, and a bonus section featuring badass action from our dear Onee-san. I'm actually having fun writing this story now. Lots of built up ideas that I finally get to execute**. **Also, some notes:**

 **I need a beta writer. Simple, because I'm still finding errors in the story, and it's grown big enough that I can't go back every time and review old chapters.** **That's not it though. The beta writer would be more of a 'partner', with us bouncing ideas around for the story and hopefully keep my more outlandish ideas in check. Keep the story coherent, so to speak. So, this will be a more 'hands-on' job than a simple beta read. The only thing I'm particular in actual beta is spelling; I really hate spelling errors. Just distracts me from my reading experience. Other than that, not much to actually 'beta' as such. Anyone who's interested, send me a PM and we can discuss it in greater detail.**

 **Also, I'm thinking about shifting the story to an M rating in the near future. The reason being that as an adult myself (legally only, mentally I'm still a horny teenager) and the main cast now being adults; this gives me greater creative freedom to explore more themes in the medium. What this means is that while there will no extreme violence or profanity, the rest of it is fair game. Definitely not now, but probably after a few more chapters.**

 **Well, that's it from my side. As always, thank you for reading, reviewing, following and favoriting. See you next chapter!**


	7. Chapter 5: A new request

**Chapter 5: A new request**

 **2 days later, Miyamura Supermarket**

"Hikigaya-san, mind manning the counter? Tatsu's on leave today."

"Hikigaya-san, the delivery truck has not arrived yet. Do you mind checking up on it?"

"Hikki, I'm heading to the washroom, do you mind handling my counter too for a while?"

"Hikigaya-san, there's a lone child crying near Aisle 3. Please handle him."

"What do you mean you do not have it in stock? Just yesterday it was here and today it's gone. Now I have to walk 20 minutes to the other supermarket. Go call your manager. This will not do."

"Haah." Hachiman groaned, tired. This was far more grunt work than he wanted to do, and it was sapping the life out of him. It was already 3 in the afternoon. He had not had lunch, nor drunk any caffeine to keep him going. Thankfully, there wasn't any customer inside right now, so he could take relief at that.

"Good work." Uchimoto came to him, holding a can of orange juice. "While it seems you're still struggling, hiring you wasn't really a bad decision after all." Hachiman gratefully took it, gulping down the contents in quick bursts. "Go have lunch then. Yui's waiting."

Hachiman groaned. It had been incredibly awkward when he'd ran off to the nearby Saizeriya for ramen during lunch yesterday, only to see later that Yui had the audacity of making lunch _for him._ Tatsu eats with us too, she said, and she had thought this would be the case with him. Imagine his surprise after being told that his lunch was now complimentary with the job. This still didn't sit right with him for some unexplained reason.

"Come on, didn't we go through this earlier? I like to run a close-knit enterprise, which means I treat my employees like family. This is but a token gesture from us that echoes our sentiments." He couldn't refute that. His limited understanding of the man had said that much.

"Thank you. If you will, then."

"Hikigaya-san, you can drop the formalities already. Like I told you, any friend of Yui's is a friend of mine." Hachiman only nodded at that, heading to the break room.

Inside, he saw Yui as she appeared to be dusting her apron and paid no attention to him as he approached her. She only jerked back at the last second.

"Wha- Hikki, don't surprise me like that. Like, I totally thought that a thief had come in!" Wait, why would a thief enter the break room of all places? It seemed as if his Stealth Hikki mode was still going strong, even after all this. Well, not like he should've lost his special 108 skills, but he cringed at the mention.

"You were too busy to notice, idiot." Hachiman grabbed a seat, sitting down with a plop that almost knocked the wind out of him. Only sheer willpower kept him awake.

"Hikki, your lunch." Yui took out a box, handing it over to him as he made a face that clearly was not one of gratitude. "Thanks. Then, Bon Appetit."

The food wasn't bad by any means, but it didn't suit his palate for some reason. Had his sense of taste been marred or was her cooking not that up to par? He knew his cooking skills weren't great to begin with, but having a woman cook at this level was unsettling… Hachiman mentally cursed himself as he realized the error in his line of thinking. And the whole time, Yui had been looking at him, doing her classic "Eheheh" pose.

He finished his lunch, ending it with a courtesy "Thank you for the food."

"How was it?"

"Why is that even a question?"

"Well, because it's the first time you've tasted my hand-made food."

"Doesn't that totally-not-Japanese hamburg steak not count?" The aftertaste of that _thing_ now lingered in his mind for some reason. Though the most surprising event that day had been Hiratsuka-sensei's stir-fried meat and bean sprouts covered in meat sauce with rice as accompaniment. To this day, he wasn't sure how that had happened.

Yui punched him on the shoulder, embarrassed. "Mou! That was just practice, you know! Now I have years of experience behind me." And a very low progress to show for it, too.

"That I can clearly see."

"So how was it?"

"Barely good enough that the word 'mediocre' puts it's mediocrity to shame."

"Heh! Was it that bad? My husband likes my food so much!"

"Oh, that's nothing but a contractual obligation he has to pay mind to." Hachiman said, quickly realizing his mistake, as he saw Yui crestfallen.

"Does… that mean he's been lying to me all this time about it?"

"That is not necessarily the case. He could just really like its taste… People do have weird tastes sometimes."

"Don't call my cooking weird!"

"Sorry, sorry." Hachiman raised his hands in mock defeat.

"Hmph." Yui made a pout that seriously did not go well with her current looks or age.

"Well, time to go back." Hachiman got up to leave as he saw something in Yui's eyes that meant she wanted to say something else. "Hikki…"

"Hmm?"

"I guess… I really don't compare to Yukinon after all…" Her sad, low voice made it painful to hear. What was the point of this comparison _now_?

"Well, when it's strictly about your cooking skills then you never really stood a chance against her. Though, I don't have too many people to compare her with. Komachi just likes pandering to my taste and doesn't really experiment while cooking; and Mom has made food for us so often that I don't even remember the taste of her cooking now."

"That's… isn't that sad?"

"It is what it is. Nothing I can do about it." Hachiman shook is head. "I've got to go back now. He's handling the counter all by himself."

"Uhmm. I'll be out in a while."

* * *

 **2 hours later**

It was evening now, and Hachiman was carefully stacking the new stock of cup ramen on the shelves when he heard a voice he hadn't heard in a while.

"Ah, Hikitani-kun, what a coincidence!"

Hachiman turned around and came face to face with…

"Tobe."

Tobe Kakeru stood in front of him, good-looking an adjective an average person would use for him. His brown dye had gone, leaving behind black hair that were short now and did not really look well on him for some reason. Dressed in casuals did seem very Tobe-ish though. His face had grown sharper now, his grey eyes accentuating his features.

"It's been too long, right, Hikitani-kun?" Was he still going to continue with Hikitani?

"Apparently not long enough now."

"Don't be so emotionally distant, Hikitani-kun? We are high school friends, remember?" Seriously, when had they become high school friends?

"I guess."

"So how long it's been since we met?"

"We just met during the reunion."

"But we never talked right? To me, we haven't met since that time in our third year at college." Hachiman cursed. What was the point of bringing that up now?

"Anyway, would you mind accompanying me for a bit?" Tobe said, with a face that showed unsure intentions.

"To where?"

"Nowhere." Huh?

"What does 'nowhere' mean?"

"Don't worry about it." He said as he walked towards the counter, meeting…

"Oh, Manager! It's been a while. Is everything well?"

"Ah, Tobe-san! Thanks to your well wishes, everything is going well here. Ah, Hikigaya-san, you're done with the restocking?"

"Yes, Manager."

"Eh? Wait, you work here? Since when?" Hachiman scowled. Was his uniform not a dead giveaway?

"A few days ago, actually."

"I see. You were fired from your previous job?" No need of driving that knife in even more.

"Y-Yes."

"Well, it's not like too many people know your true talent. A shame." Was this a compliment? Or sarcasm? Hachiman didn't imagine his character to be that type.

"Oh, Manager! You mind if you borrow this guy for a bit?"

"No, not at all. It will a refreshing change of pace for Hikigaya-san too. But don't take too long okay?"

"Thanks, Manager!" Tobe grabbed Hachiman's hand and marched him out, taking him to a nearby _taiyaki_ stand that had no customers. The filling was not to his taste, though even he could appreciate eating sweet items once in a while.

"Where is Ebina… uh, Tobe-san, by the way?"

"Ah, she's with Yui right now. Better leave them alone. You know how women get when they socialize."

Hachiman couldn't. The only women in his life were Komachi, whose life post his graduation he was mostly unaware about; Mom, whose stressful work hours gave him no examples and Yukino, whose work hours as a self-imposition had been even more brutal. Not that his work hours had given them enough time to spend around each other.

" I… see. So, what was it that you wanted to talk about?" Hachiman said before stuffing a _taiyaki_ in his mouth.

"Nothing in particular. Just catching up to recent events."

"I see no reason why we should be interested in each other's personal lives."

"Don't be so distant, Hikitani-kun. We're comrades, after all." And now they were comrades?

"Fine, let's just get this over with."

"You see, Hikitani-kun, I'm here for two things. First, I want to say thank you."

"For what?"

"You know why. You're the reason I'm with Hina-chan today. Seriously, if you hadn't helped me that day, I never would have got the confidence to ask her out later. And I also know you were never really interested in her. That realization came later, sadly." Hachiman smirked.

"That was just me fulfilling my duties as a member of the Service Club. Nothing more."

"That still helped me out, so I'm grateful nonetheless. After all, it's not often that your love gets requited. Just like with you and Yukinoshita-san. Tell me, how did that one happen?"

"That's a story for another day."

"I see. I am sorry for what happened with her. I had no idea."

"It's not your fault. I see no reason for your apology."

"I still feel like apologizing though. It feels like I just bumbled my way through high school without paying any attention to the people around me and how they might have suffered because of me. Sorry for not noticing your problems and for making fun of you all this time."

"I've never held a grudge against you. Your apology is worth squat to me."

"That's too bad then." Tobe forced himself to a resigned acceptance. "Seeing though act that way during the reunion was a surprise though."

"I'm surprised by it myself, to be honest." There was a silence that went for far too long before Tobe continued.

"This is getting awkward, isn't it?"

"What did you expect? We were never friends to begin with. How long did you expect us to carry a conversation by ourselves?"

"I… think that's right. But whether you consider me a friend or not, I will always consider you a friend now. So don't hesitate to call on me if a situation arises. This humble man will be at your service!" In retrospect, that declaration made him seem anything but humble.

"Uh, thanks?"

"See, you understand well!" Tobe grinned like an idiot, and Hachiman couldn't help but smile too.

"I have a request for you, Hikigaya-kun." Now _that_ was interesting. He had proclaimed to Yui about starting the Service Club days and now they had a request. Talk about convenience.

"Sure. If it is something I can do, I will try to. Fire away."

"Hikitani-kun, I want you to make up with Hayato-kun." Hachiman froze. Of all the things Tobe could've asked, he asks this?

"Not happening, Tobe. You already know everything that happened between us. Even after all that, you still dare ask me that?" His voice turned to cold fury, Tobe taken aback by the sudden change in the mood and tried to placate him.

"Calm down, Hikitani-kun. I just want two of my childhood friends to get along together, that's all."

"Again, not happening. We two are too different for us to see eye-to-eye. I genuinely hate him and that's not changing any time soon."

"That's funny. When I asked him this at the reunion, he told me the exact same thing. _In the exact same words._ Maybe you're not so different as you claim to be after all. Well, I've said my piece. And now I'll head back to pick Hina-chan up. Be well, Hikitani-kun." Tobe left, leaving Hachiman behind muttering

"That's the part I hate about him even more."

* * *

 **3 hours later**

Hachiman sat on a bench, holding a can of MAXX Coffee as he contemplated his talks with Tobe today. That had certainly come out of left field, he mused. Why approach him wit that now? They lived in separate worlds and Hachiman saw no reason why they would collide. But life never went his way did it? Otherwise Yukino would still be alive…

He awoke to find someone jerking his shoulders, automatic reaction taking over and jolting him away from the would-be aggressor. He peered his eyes while looking at…

Ebina Hina. Wait, it was Tobe now.

"Ebina-san. Or should I call you Tobe-san now?"

"Call me whatever you feel like, Hikitani-kun."

"Then, Ebina-san it is."

"By the way, what were you doing here all alone? Thinking about something?"

"Well, yeah. Your husband and I had a chat today evening. Some interesting topics came up, so I was thinking about them." He felt no need to hash it out in detail.

"Ehhh…. Were you talking about your future perhaps? What will happen to the Hachi x Hayato ship then?" Oh god, her _fujoshi_ life was still going strong. And this is your husband we're talking about! Show some tact.

"That ship crashed long ago, Ebina-san. You know all about it."

"I was just joking, Hikitani-kun. No need to get aggressive about it. Hehehe…" Hachiman sighed. There was no way of dealing rationally with her, it seemed.

"By the way, I never apologized to you, right?"

"For what?"

"For abandoning you the way we did back in high school. Maybe our reasons back then were justified, maybe not. That's what Tobecchi _really_ wanted to tell you but couldn't. I think."

"And what makes you think you should've cared for me back then? Simply because I did what you wanted me to?"

"Not just that. We… considered you a friend. You saved our clique that time. You sacrificed yourself all because I wasn't ready to let people into my heart that time. Now, things have changed."

"Interesting. You think you've changed, after all these years?"

"Don't misunderstand. I still feel like I'm a rotten bitch on the inside, but things have certainly changed. I feel like I can now open up to people without them simply judging me. You know, be around someone who doesn't care about what I am on the inside."

"That can never happen. The whole point of your existence is that people will judge you for everything."

"Maybe so, but I'm confident in my actions now. Judgement from others does not scare me anymore."

"Good for you then."

"Also, I'm sorry about Yukinoshita-san. I… really didn't know."

"Not your fault." All these people doing it as a courtesy was getting on his nerves.

"So, you two were together, right?"

"…"

"Married?"

"NO."

"Had sex?"

"What's with this weird line of questioning? Hell NO."

"Dating?"

"Not sure I'd call it dating."

"That's from the perspective of a normal person. You two were anything but normal, right? Then, what would you call it?"

"I don't know. Aren't couples supposed to spend time together? We were so busy with our own lives we barely had time for each other. We came in late at night and slept off our free time. The time we spent together didn't go too dissimilar to our time in the Service Club. In fact, the only couple-like thing you could say we did was live under the same roof. And even that is stretching it." There was something else he wanted to add about a promise they made to each other, but he held back for now.

"I agree, that doesn't seem very couple-like." Hina sat down beside him, fumbling in her purse before taking out a lighter and a cigarette pack, lighting up one and puffing it before handing him the box. "Smoke?"

"No thanks. I don't smoke. Hate the smell."

"Aren't you the cool one?" Hina puffed some more, before the cigarette fizzled out and she threw the stub in the dustbin nearby. She continued.

"And I see you've changed. You were far more devious back in high school. Even your eyes don't look so pessimistic anymore. That's a nice change."

"Not like that was a great way of living. I had to grow up sometime."

"I see. I wish I could say that for myself. I still feel like I'm with Tobecchi from some warped sense of self-gratification, you know?"

"Then, will you leave him once if find out the truth about yourself?"

"It's not that easy. We have a 6-year old kid now." Hachiman remembered that story. Apparently, they had gotten together during their 3rd year in college, and Tobe had gotten her pregnant soon. Giving into parental pressure, they had married early, well before their third year had finished.

"I have nothing to say to that. Children always end up complicating stuff." He sighed. The situation with Airi-chan had not been resolved yet. He only wondered what Haruno was doing right now. Trusting her with something was like trusting a red fox with chickens.

"You know, if you had put some back into your confession and really meant it back then, I could've agreed." Hachiman smirked.

"We both know how that would've turned out."

"I guess we do. The fact is, I used to think of us as too alike, you see? And I was afraid of getting close to you and finding out the truth. Thankfully, you've defied my expectations. You really are something."

"I'm just trying to live to see the next day."

"Aren't we all?" Hina finished her second cigarette and got up with a final word.

"That was an interesting chat. I hope we meet again soon." She left, leaving Hachiman alone with his thoughts.

"Surprisingly, me too." Hachiman said out loud to no one in particular.

* * *

 **2 hours later, Hachiman's apartment**

Hachiman came out of the bathroom; the shower having done enough to alleviate his mood. He switched on the television, flipping through various channels but finding nothing that grabbed his attention. He was about to start cooking dinner as an acknowledgement of his defeat when he heard the bell go off.

"Who the hell disturbs people at 10 in the night?" He mused, approaching the door, only to find…

"Tobe?" What the hell was he doing here so late in the night?

"Ah, Hikitani-kun, sorry. Is this a bad time?" The expression of pure terror on his face gave him pause.

"How did you even know where my apartment was?"

"I, uh… asked Haruno-san."

"You WHAT?"

"Don't be so angry!" Tobe wailed, and Hachiman felt sorry for the neighbors who had to hear him screech late in the night. "I had her contact number from the times we had a business deal going on, when she would take me out on extravagant dinners. She asked me a lot about you."

"And what did you tell her?"

"The truth. That it had been years since I saw you after college, and I didn't bother with keeping track of your life." Hachiman sighed. Not that he expected Tobe to possess some valuable intel about his life anyway.

"Well, you're right on time for dinner. Come in."

"Then, sorry for the intrusion." Tobe arranged his shoes, going in to pick up the remote.

"Ah, Totsuka has a match today, Hikitani-kun. Shall we watch?"

"Do as you please. I have something to do." Hachiman went to the kitchen, observing Tobe as he cheered during the match, his excitement reaching a fever pitch during a critical moment when Totsuka apparently hit a smash and won the game. Hachiman smiled. There was never any doubt in his mind about the guy's skills but seeing it first-hand was something else.

He finished up a few minutes later, calling Tobe over.

* * *

 **A few minutes later**

"Hikitani-kun, what is this?"

"You didn't like it?"

"I mean this gyoza is so good! You could probably give Hina-chan a run for her money. It accompanies the rice so well!" Tobe was practically stuffing himself now, and Hachiman now realized how a mother would feel when her child enjoyed her meal so much. He smiled.

"Well, I've had one hell of a teacher." The drillmaster had been extremely strict, but she knew her work so he couldn't complain. It had paid off, for now.

"Hey, Hikitani-kun? Can you do me a favor?"

"Not until you tell me why you're really here."

"Ah, you see… I want to spend the night here with you." Hachiman rolled his eyes. This guy…

"Did you just mean it in a way I should consider criminal?"

"Oi, what the hell, Hkitani-kun. I'm married and have a kid. Why would I… Oh God. You're one sick guy."

"Talk about yourself."

"No, no. What I meant was that I can't be at home today so I want to sleep here."

"And what's the story behind that?"

"About that… I don't know how to say it…"

"Then give it to me straight."

"Yeah… about that…"

"Tobe… just tell me already."

"Y-Yeah. You see…"

"Hmm?"

"I… I've had an affair."

And with that, Hachiman's chopsticks dropped.

* * *

"You WHAT?"

"Please don't misunderstand. I know what I've done is wrong, but I've had my reasons." Hachiman's jaw stiffened. On one hand, adultery was serious, and he felt no reason why he had to involve himself in the matter between husband and wife. On the other hand, Tobe clearly seemed distressed and he had come all the way, so he deserved an ear, if nothing else.

"Go on. I'm not sure you can convince me of anything, but I'd like to see you try." The fury in his voice was chilling, but Tobe kept calm and continued.

"You see, we're in the middle of a large deal with Yaiba Corp. right now. Mine is a small ship, run by a tight crew. We need this deal so we can survive. So _I_ can survive. The supply order will set us comfortable for many years to come. And their negotiator was an… unorthodox woman to say the least. She seemed genuinely disinterested in the deal and spent most of her time arguing over minutiae no average person would mull over. And one day, I get called over on lunch when she makes a pass at me. I become uncomfortable and excuse myself. The next day, I learn that she's threatening to cancel the deal, because I behaved rudely with her. ME! Naturally, the boss was pissed and ordered me to do whatever was necessary to get us back on track and threatened to fire me if I didn't comply. It was my word against hers and I… I had to. There was no other way. I got myself shit drunk in order to forget it, but it didn't help. Not one bit." The guy was on the verge of tears. Sheesh. Was his willpower so low?

"And? She found out about it?"

"Yes. That woman had the audacity to leave me messages on my work phone. Hina was apparently doing the laundry when she picked up the phone from my pocket and… all hell broke loose. She immediately took our daughter and went off, leaving me alone in the house. And so I came here."

"But why here? And why _me_?"

"Because you're the first person that came to mind."

"More like… you want someone who doesn't care about you to vent to, right?" That made sense. Him approaching his so-called 'friends' would only get him ostracized.

"You've always been awfully perceptive, Hikitani-kun."

"Don't count on it."

Hachiman sighed. When he'd wanted to re-establish the Service Club, this was not what he had in mind. Definitely not adultery of all things. Most of all, he hated having to get himself dirty. Because that was where he reveled, in the thick of things, doing stuff no one else would. And he hated himself for that. That no matter what he did, he could never let go of his past.

Hachiman took out his iPhone, only to see a call already flash on it. He picked up.

"Yui?"

"Ah, Hikki? Sorry, were you asleep?"

"No, why?"

"Actually, I want you to come into the market early tomorrow, at opening time. I'm taking leave tomorrow, and my husband would need some help."

"I see. Are you ill or something, by chance?"

"Ah, no no. Just… I have something to do."

Hachiman frowned. "Let me guess. Ebina-san is there with you, isn't it?"

"Ehhh-, how… how did you know that?" Was that extra surprise really necessary?

"… Because Tobe's here with me."

"Ah. I see. That makes full sense now." Hachiman racked his brains, before coming up with something.

"Don't tell Ebina-san this, but I'll be bringing Tobe with me tomorrow."

"Eh? To my house?"

"Where else? The earlier this gets resolved, the better for us. I'll tell the manager everything later."

"Ahh, um, understood. Then call me when you're ready okay?"

"I will. Then see you tomorrow."

"See you tomorrow, Hikki."

Hachiman cut the call, coming face-to-face with Tobe.

"Heard everything?"

"Yeah. But why tomorrow? I… I can't face her in this state."

"Don't bullshit me, Tobe. First you had the audacity to barge into my home unannounced, late at night and then you drop this massive bombshell on me, and you expect me to what? Sit on it, let it fester till it takes you out and me along with it? NO. The earlier this problem gets nipped in the bud, the better it is for the both of us. First, we need to ascertain how far she's willing to go against you. For that, we start with an open, honest discussion. Then we can start thinking about countermeasures and damage control. This is not for discussion. Only by talking to Ebina-san can we determine what to do next. Yui is there with her, and she's smart enough that she'll be a calming influence and won't fill her head with stupid ideas. At least, that's what I hope."

"Hikitani-tun, thank you. I knew I could rely on you in times of need."

"Hmph. Don't misunderstand. I'm doing this just because I want your annoying face out of my hair. Understand?"

"Y-Yes, Hikigaya-sama." So he did remember the correct surname.

"Good. I have an extra futon with me, you can take that one. You need rest now, Tobe."

As they slept, Hachiman had one thought in his head. Tomorrow was going to be another long day.

But today, he needed sleep. And lots of it. So he slept. For tomorrow was a new day, and it would bring its own set of problems with it.

* * *

 **3 days later (Sunday), the Takeda household**

Yukinoshita Haruno stepped out of the taxi, disgust evident on her face. It wasn't that she didn't want to do it but meeting a man as devious as him had its own charms. Clearly viciousness wasn't limited to herself alone. Her bodyguard stepped forward, scanning the surroundings.

"Preliminary observation reveals no threats, Haruno-san." The bodyguard intoned in perfect English, albeit with a thick Russian accent.

"Of course not, you idiot. What kind of threats do you expect in a residential area?"

"With you, we never know. You've got so many enemies after all."

"That I do, Vasily. Now come on, we have a man to intimidate."

They stepped to the door, Vasily ringing the bell as Takeda-san came out.

"Excuse me? Should I know you?"

"Definitely not. I'm Yukinoshita Haruno. Pleased to meet you."

 **(A/N: Vasily talks only in English but knows Japanese, Eijiro talks only in Japanese but knows English well enough. Haruno switches between the two as needed.)**

Eijiro blanched. _The_ Yukinoshita Haruno? The CEO of Yukinoshita Corp.? What was she doing here, dealing with a grunt like him?

"I-I'm terribly sorry, but I don't think I am qualified enough to be conducting business with you. And certainly not in my humble abode." Haruno wanted to laugh _so bad._ The man was a terrible actor.

"Oh, don't worry your pretty little head about it. My business is with you after all, Takeda Eijiro-san."

"M-Me?"

"Yes. Now are you going to keep me waiting outside, or will you let me in?"

"Ah, w-where are my manners? Please, come in."

"Pardon the intrusion." Haruno stepped in while removing and arranging her shoes, Vasily sighing behind her.

"Really? Do I have to do this?" He grunted. Eijiro felt uncomfortable at this whole exchange.

"Come on. This is a Japanese house. Show some respect as a guest."

"In Russia, you get boot in the face for being so polite."

"Thankfully, this is not Japan." Vasily grunted once more, repeating Haruno's motions. Eijiro guided them to the living room, where Haruno took the center of the large sofa, Eijiro sitting across from her and Vasily standing beside the sofa.

"Um…"

"Don't worry about Vasily here, Takeda-san. Right?"

"Yes. I hate soft sofa. Soft sofa make ass soft."

"Right." Eijiro had no response to that. He instead chose to hurry away, bringing a good bottle of whisky with him. He served both his hosts, Vasily declining and Haruno squealed.

"Ehhhh. And this is supposed to be Yoichi whisky? The taste is so different. It's not even aged well. Are you sure you didn't pick up a cheap imitation?" Eijiro scowled. The one here was a gift from his father, to be used only on special occasions. The fact that she had trampled all over his hospitality irked him, a look she thoroughly enjoyed.

"I-I'm sorry, Yukinoshita-san. I'll be more careful next time."

"Well, that is fine. Thanks for the drink." Vasily cleared his throat as Eijiro began to speak. Haruno turned, Vasily indicating something with his eyes that she understood.

She turned to face Eijiro again. "Vasily, do you mind bringing the documents I entrusted you with?"

"What documents? I thought you had them."

"Clearly I gave them to you. Are you so short-sighted? Now, go be a dear and fetch them for me, will you?"

"Suuuure. Fetch documents for me. That is bodyguard's job after all." Vasily turned around while Haruno spoke.

"Sorry for his actions. He really is a bit thick in the head. Always forgets stuff. Honestly, that idiot."

"I can hear you, Haruno-san."

"Because I wanted you to. Now go."

Haruno waited a while before she spoke. "Sorry, where was I?"

"I think you should explain why you're really here."

"Ah, right. By the way, where's your wife? Don't see her at all."

"Uh, she's at work right now. She's a middle school teacher, you see."

"It's that time of the year again. Tell me, any children?"

"No, unfortunately."

"Previous marriages?"

"I'm sorry, I thought we were discussing a business deal. What does my private life have to do with this?"

"Oh believe me, your private life has everything to do with this." She smiled.

Vasily entered, bringing 2 envelopes with him, promptly handing one over.

"So, let's see…" Haruno pulled out something from an envelope before promptly shoving it back in.

"Ughhh. Vasily, I have the wrong envelope her for some reason. May I know why?"

"I am terribly sorry, Haruno-san. I fully blame my thick head for this."

"Hahaha. Very funny." She snatched the other envelope, taking out a document as she read it.

"Now that's more like it. Let's see…"

"Takeda Eijiro. Pretty unremarkable life till college. Wait. This says you apparently won a shogi competition in high school. Wow. That's…. The thoroughness befuddles me. Well, well. What's interesting here is your college life. Says here you fell in love with Mutsuki Mishima, the real life ID of… Key from AKD48? You banged Key? Hahaha, that's hilarious. Who would've thought a man like you could end up that high?"

"Um…"

"But wait, we're not done yet. Supposedly, you ended up getting her pregnant, right? And she chose to deliver the baby instead of abort her because that was an easy choice. She could've lost her career but nope, she decides to take a 'spiritual break'? Who did the managers fool with that?" Even Vasily smirked at this for some reason. That man had weird tastes.

"Now, you two marry; you have a nice, healthy young girl; she's back to her singing and everything is smooth-sailing. Except it is _too_ smooth a sail. You get agitated. She's earning way more than you for some stupid singing and dancing, and here you were; scraping the ends of the barrel to makes ends meet. So you snapped. Maybe some day the boss gave you an extra lecture and she got a promotion to lead role. You were tired. Enough was enough. You hit her. Bad. It leaves a visible mark. She can't perform now with that sort of injury. Too obvious. She takes a gap. The woman still loves you. Can't take a hint as to what you've become. You keep pushing her away. Keep beating her. She takes it all, mute. Now, if it were me, I would've cut your balls off then and there. See how much 'masculinity' that would leave you with."

"In Russia, we have saying. No balls, no man. Or is it Ukraine?"

"See, even Vasily agrees with me. Now that's truly scary. Anyway, we move on." Haruno harrumphed, Eijiro growing more uncomfortable by the second.

So, the producer can't take it to court, for fear of exposing her and creating a scandal the company might not survive. They suggest a truce. You separate, with a fat paycheck as a 'bonus' to stay away from her. You decline. Say you want custody of the kid. She is horrified. Doesn't want a monster like you anywhere around her child. Refuses to back down on this. An argument starts. Negotiations break down. Your lawyer is smart. Manages to dig up dirt on the opposition and their lawyers are forced to comply. She goes hysterical. She sees only one thing to do. Kidnaps the child and runs away. The police find her in a week. You get the judge to declare her unfit for custody. They rule in your favor. A big win for you. But, it was not over. You secretly make a deal with the woman. She gets to see her kid twice a year. And you get paid handsomely for it. She's still in love with you and the kid. You don't care. She promptly agrees. You immediately remarry and spin a sad story to your new wife, who starts hating the kid's guts. So you send her away, grabbing her twice a day for the customary meet. All is running well for you. And that's how we land in this current murky predicament."

"How… How did you know?" By now, Eijiro's face had gone pale.

"Simple. Your lawyer is smart. I am smarter. I simply went to the detectives who helped your lawyer. In fact, the lead investigator your lawyer employed now works for me. Amazing how people can sing an entirely different tune when large sums of money get involved, just like with you."

"Money makes world go round, after all."

"Right about that, Vasily. Should I hire you now to do my paperwork instead, now that you have a basic grasp of economics?"

"Please. I am better off intimidating and bashing people's heads as need be. I leave livelihood destruction to you, Haruno-san."

"Smart man." Haruno exclaimed, indicating for the second envelope that Vasily had. He complied, passing it to Eijiro who frowned.

"W-What's this?"

"Just open it."

Eijiro barely had time to prepare himself before another bomb dropped on him. The envelope escaped his hands and fell, spreading many photographs on the floor. Haruno picked one up, turning to Vasily.

"This is… ugh. I likely won't get it out of my head for quite a while. Vasily, mind helping the poor man out?" Vasily ducked down, gathering the photos and stuffing them into the envelope, handing it back to Eijiro who meekly took it back.

"Vasily, I better not find out that you have copies of this stuff and are, uhmm… 'being active' with it."

"You wound my pride, Haruno-san. I have standards too. Even I wouldn't touch this shit."

"Never thought I'd be talking to you about your active life."

"You're the one who started it."

"That's a fair point. Let's move on." Haruno turned back to face Eijiro, who could barely make a sound.

"This… How… Why?"

"A good question. This, my friend, clearly shows you in a _very_ compromising position with a junior of yours. Promised her a raise, didn't you, in return for favors? To be fair, I did take extra precautions in keeping your face as recognizable as possible. The woman is… whatever. Point is, there are multiple envelopes just like that. Now why do we need so many envelopes, you may ask? Well…"

Haruno dialed a number that was picked up on the third ring.

"Is it done?"

"Yes, ma'am. All of them, as you ordered."

"Good. Switch to video mode."

"Roger."

"As you can see on this screen, Takeda-san; me and my employees have taken the liberty of appropriating these envelopes for personal use and distributed them among the various members of your office. In short, each employee of your office now has an exact replica of that envelope on their desks. Quite a shock for them when they open it tomorrow and the contents spill out. Unfortunately, that woman will be collateral damage. Well, not like she was doing herself any good by screwing you."

"Y-You…" The rage in his eyes was now clearer than ever. And Haruno seemed to revel in it.

"Oh, and I also have left copies for your boss and your wife to peruse through. Seems unfair that you keep them in the dark about it, right?" She pointed the screen at him, split images showing people entering his boss' room and wife's cabin, about to place identical envelopes there. He fumed.

"Why are doing this?"

"Because you hurt someone I care about." The pure malice in her voice, coupled with her icy-cold stare scared him speechless. With great effort, he managed to pick himself up and reply.

"What do you want?" Haruno's fake smile came back.

"See? Why does it take so long to get to the meat of the discussion?" Haruno spoke in English.

"Don't ask me." Vasily shook his head.

"It was rhetorical, Vasily."

"I see. Sorry for the interruption." He knew better than to speak up when she was in her 'zone'.

"So, where was I? Yes, what do I want. Simple. A signature."

"A signature. You threaten to ruin my life for a signature?"

"Hey, don't judge me. That signature's important, you know." She handed him the document, Eijiro carefully going through it before exclaiming.

"This is… you want me to sign a consent form agreeing to Airi-chan's adoption by Hikigaya Hachiman? That's it?" Truthfully, he expected something more from her. This bordered on the downright bizzare.

"Yes. Sign the form and all envelopes, including the photos currently on the desks will be immediately removed. That's all. Simple, isn't it?"

"Do I have a choice?"

"We always have a choice, Takeda-san. The only question is whether we can accept to live with the consequences." Haruno seemed to mellow with her statement. Did she really mean it?

"I see. I guess my only valid option is to sign." Eijiro asked for a pen, Vasily providing him one and him signing at all the relevant places. Haruno quickly pocketed the document, putting it in the envelope and handing it to Vasily. Haruno put a call again, picked up on the third ring.

"Execute clean-up protocol."

"Roger."

Haruno turned the screen, showing the man pick up all envelopes from all desks and put them in his bag. For added confirmation, he conducted a walkthrough of the cubicles, proving that there really were no envelopes left. Eijiro breathed a sigh of relief. It was finally over. His nightmare that was so close to being unleashed.

"Then, I think this concludes our business here, Takeda-san. Good day to you." Haruno got up and walked towards the door, Vasily walking behind her. Eijiro watched them leave, as he realized he was missing something. Wait…

"What about the ones in my boss' room and wife's cabin?"

"Huh? What are you talking about?"

"I mean, these envelopes. You did not show your men remove those."

"That's because they didn't."

"WHAT?"

"Why are you so surprised? They weren't even part of the deal."

"You said you'd remove all envelopes once I signed."

"All envelopes _on desks._ The ones you're talking about were placed on the ground. Or perhaps you didn't notice?" Eijiro mentally cursed himself. He had handed the phone back too early.

"Y-You bitch!" Eijiro spat. "You set me up. You were out to ruin me from the start! You…" He lunged with his fists towards as he found his arm in a crushing grip. Vasily had barely moved or even shown any surprise.

"Honestly, if I had penny for every time I caught fist, I become very rich." Vasily intoned, in the same gruff voice.

"That joke doesn't work here, Vasily. We use yen here. And it's horribly devalued compared to western currencies. You'd not get enough for your work."

"I see. Thank you for the wisdom." Vasily twisted the arm, turning Eijiro around and hurting him enough to make him a bawling mess.

"P-Please, let me go. What did I ever do to hurt you?"

"Oh, I never introduced you to my bodyguard, did I? How awfully rude of me. Takeda-san, meet Vasily Alexei Smirnov. Retired Spetsnaz operative and my current bodyguard. Fun fact, the surname comes from a Russian word that means 'meek.' Blends well with his nature, doesn't it?"

"Y-Yes."

"Good. Now I want you to consider what's happening here and learn from it. Rue the day you considered yourself involved with me. Rue the day your parent decided to bring a leech like you into the world. Rue the day you decided you were okay with continuing to ruin the live of _four_ women. Women who only ever cared for you and respected you. Live under the boot-heel of people better than you like the little maggot that you are. And may God have mercy on your soul, because I won't." Haruno walked out the door, Vasily following.

"Oh, before I forget. Keep the pen. Let it serve as a bitter remainder of what transpired her today. Goodbye."

And with that, Yukinoshita Haruno left, leaving a 28-year-old man wailing on the porch of his own home.

 **A/N: Not much to say here, I think. The story pretty much says all. Next chapter, the situation with the Tobe family turns ugly as more secrets are revealed. Will Hachiman and Yui be enough to keep them together? Find out in the next chapter… of this story.**

 **Also I'd like to apologize for the untoward break I took from writing. Something personal came up, and I needed time to deal with it. Not a great state of mind for writing. Rest assured, the story is back on track with regular weekly updates. See you soon!**


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